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  1. Characterization of Escherichia coli Phylogenetic Groups ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Escherichia coli strains mainly fall into four phylogenetic groups (A, B1, B2, and D) and that virulent extra‑intestinal strains mainly belong to groups B2 and D. Aim: The aim was to determine the association between phylogenetic groups of E. coli causing extraintestinal infections (ExPEC) regarding the site of ...

  2. Recombination Blurs Phylogenetic Groups Routine Assignment in Escherichia coli: Setting the Record Straight

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turrientes, María-Carmen; González-Alba, José-María; del Campo, Rosa; Baquero, María-Rosario; Cantón, Rafael; Baquero, Fernando; Galán, Juan Carlos

    2014-01-01

    The characterization of population structures plays a main role for understanding outbreaks and the dynamics of bacterial spreading. In Escherichia coli, the widely used combination of multiplex-PCR scheme together with goeBURST has some limitations. The purpose of this study is to show that the combination of different phylogenetic approaches based on concatenated sequences of MLST genes results in a more precise assignment of E. coli phylogenetic groups, complete understanding of population structure and reconstruction of ancestral clones. A collection of 80 Escherichia coli strains of different origins was analyzed following the Clermont and Doumith's multiplex-PCR schemes. Doumith's multiplex-PCR showed only 1.7% of misassignment, whereas Clermont's-2000 protocol reached 14.0%, although the discrepancies reached 30% and 38.7% respectively when recombinant C, F and E phylogroups were considered. Therefore, correct phylogroup attribution is highly variable and depends on the clonal composition of the sample. As far as population structure of these E. coli strains, including 48 E. coli genomes from GenBank, goeBURST provides a quite dispersed population structure; whereas NeighborNet approach reveals a complex population structure. MLST-based eBURST can infer different founder genotypes, for instance ST23/ST88 could be detected as the founder genotypes for STC23; however, phylogenetic reconstructions might suggest ST410 as the ancestor clone and several evolutionary trajectories with different founders. To improve our routine understanding of E. coli molecular epidemiology, we propose a strategy based on three successive steps; first, to discriminate three main groups A/B1/C, D/F/E and B2 following Doumith's protocol; second, visualization of population structure based on MLST genes according to goeBURST, using NeighborNet to establish more complex relationships among STs; and third, to perform, a cost-free characterization of evolutionary trajectories in variants

  3. Phylogenetic grouping and pathotypic comparison of urine and fecal Escherichia coli isolates from children with urinary tract infection

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    Masoumeh Navidinia

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate the phylogenetic background and to assess hlyD (involved in the secretion of haemolysin A and intll (encoding a class 1 integrase in Escherichia coli isolates derived from urinary and fecal specimens. A total of 200 E. coli isolates was collected from patients presenting with urinary tract infection (UTI during September 2009 to September 2010 and screened for hlyD and intll genes by polymerase chain reaction (PCR. Phylogenetic analysis showed that E. coli is composed of four main phylogenetic groups (A, B1, B2 and D and that uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC isolates mainly belong to groups B2 (54% and D (34% whereas group A (44% and D (26% are predominant among commensal E. coli isolates. In this study, hlyD was present in 26% of UPEC and 2% of commensal E. coli isolates. However, hemolytic activity was detected for 42% of UPEC and 6% of commensal E. coli isolates (p < 0.05. intll gene was more frequently expressed in UPEC (24% in comparison with commensal E. coli isolates (12%. Resistance to aztreonam, co-trimoxazole and cefpodoxime were frequently found among UPEC isolates whereas commensal E. coli isolates were commonly resistant to co-trimoxazole, nalidixic acid and cefotaxime. Concluding, a considerable difference between UPEC and commensal E. coli isolates was observed regarding their phylogenetic groups, presence of class 1 integron and hlyD gene, hemolysin activity and resistance pattern. The detection of class 1 integrons and hlyD gene was higher among UPEC compared with commensal E. coli isolates. These findings may contribute for a better understanding of the factors involved in the pathogenesis of UPEC.

  4. Multiple drug resistance patterns in various phylogenetic groups of uropathogenic E.coli isolated from Faisalabad region of Pakistan

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    Saira Bashir

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this work was the phylogenetic characterization of local clinical isolates of uropathogenic E. coli with respect to drug resistance. A total of 59 uropathogenic E. coli responsible for community acquired urinary tract infections were included in this study. A triplex PCR was employed to segregate each isolate into four different phylogenetic groups (A, B1, B2 and D. Drug resistance was evaluated by disc diffusion method. The drugs used were ampicillin, aztreonam, cefixime, cefoperazone, ceftriaxone, cephradine among β-lactam group; amikacin, gentamicin, and streptomycin among aminoglycosides; nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin from quinolones; trimethoprim-sulfomethoxazole, and tetracycline. Among 59 uropathogenic E. coli isolates majority belonged to phylogenetic group B2 (50% where as 19% each belonged to groups A and B1, and 12% to group D. All the isolates were multiple drug resistant (MDR. Most effective drugs against Group A, B1, and B2 were gentamicin, amikacin and cefixime; ceftriaxone and quinolones; and ceftriaxone and amikacin, respectively. Group D isolates were found to be highly resistant to all drugs. Our results have shown emergence of MDR isolates among uropathogenic E. coli with dominance of phylogenetic group B2. However, it was found that group D isolates were though less frequent, more drug resistant as compared with group B2. Groups A and B1 were relatively uncommon. Amikacin, ceftriaxone and gentamicin were the most effective drugs in general.

  5. Determination of phylogenetic groups and antibiotic resistance pattern of Enterotoxigenic Escherishia coli isolates from diarrheoic cases in Bam City by PCR

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    Hesam Alizade

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Background and Aim: Purposes of this study were to determine the phylogenetic groups, prevalence of enterotoxigenic pathotype and antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli (E. coli isolates from diarrheic cases in Bam city. Materials and Methods: In this study 155 E. coli were isolated from diarrheic samples in Bam city. Phylogenetic groups of isolates and enterotoxigenic pathotype were determined by detection of chuA, yjaA, TspE4C2 and ST, LT genes respectively. Results: One hundred fifty five examined isolates were distributed in phylogenetic groups: A (71.60%, B1 (3.22%, B2 (9.67% and D (15.48%. The genes for enterotoxigenic pathotype were detected in 52 isolates (33.54%, which ST gene were found in 29 isolates, LT in 16 isolates and LT, ST genes in 7 isolates. Twenty nine ST gene positive isolates were distributed in three phylogenetic groups A (48.28%, D (41.38% and B2 (10.34%. According to the antibiotic susceptibility tests maximum and minimum antibiotic resistance rate was against to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (74.19% and ciprofloxacin and gentamycin (9.67%. Fifteen multiple antibiotic resistance patterns were detected in four phylogenetic groups. Conclusions: Escherichia coli isolates from enterotoxigenic pathotype have a considerable antibiotic resistance rate in Bam city and were distributed in different phylogenetic groups. Since a considerable number of isolates were negative for LT and ST genes, it is necessary to study the other virulence genes and their phylogenetic background in E. coli isolates from diarrheic cases in Bam city.

  6. Phylogenetic Grouping and Phenotypic Detection of Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamases Among Escherichia coli From Calves and Dairy Cows in Khuzestan, Iran

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    Mozhdeh Barzan

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Food-producing animals are under suspicion for the reservoir and colonization of ESBL (extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing bacteria especially Enterobacteriaceae and therefore infection of the humans with them. The increasing reports on the ESBLs presence in the pathogenic and commensal Escherichia coli isolates have been a concern worldwide. These strains can be attributed to one of the main phylogenetic groups and subgroups. Several studies have shown the relationship between the phylogeny and antimicrobial resistance of E. coli strains. Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the phylogenetic group of ESBL-producing E. coli and detect its phenotype using the multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR and combined disk method. Materials and Methods: Two hundred five E. coli fecal isolates were obtained from 103 calves (90 healthy and 13 diarrheic and 102 dairy cows (healthy from 8 farms in Khuzestan province, Iran. The triplex PCR method was used to allocate the E. coli isolates based on the presence or absence of 3 genes (chuA, yjaA, and tspE4.C2 to yield 4 definite phylogenetic groups and 7 subgroups. Phenotypic ESBL-producing E. coli was determined using the double disk diffusion method according to the manufacturer’s instructions and Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI guidelines. Results: A total of 65.04% and 22.3% of isolates from calves and 70.5% and 20.5% of isolates from dairy cows belonged to phylogroups B1 and A, respectively. In addition, no isolate from the diarrhoeic calves was found to belong to group B2 and subgroups D2 and A0. A low prevalence (2/205 isolates, 0.97% of ESBL-producing E. coli was found only in the samples of dairy cows which belonged to the phylogenetic group A and phylogenetic subgroup A1. There was no statistically significant relationship between the phylogenetic group and the production of ESBLs (P = 0.11. There was also no difference between the E. coli isolates

  7. Detection of virulence genes and the phylogenetic groups of Escherichia coli isolated from dogs in Brazil

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    Fernanda Morcatti Coura

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT: This study identified the virulence genes, pathovars, and phylogenetic groups of Escherichia coli strains obtained from the feces of dogs with and without diarrhea. Virulence genes and phylogenetic group identification were studied using polymerase chain reaction. Thirty-seven E. coli isolates were positive for at least one virulence factor gene. Twenty-one (57.8% of the positive isolates were isolated from diarrheal feces and sixteen (43.2% were from the feces of non-diarrheic dogs. Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC were the most frequently (62.2% detected pathovar in dog feces and were mainly from phylogroup B1 and E. Necrotoxigenic E. coli were detected in 16.2% of the virulence-positive isolates and these contained the cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 (cnf1 gene and were classified into phylogroups B2 and D. All E. coli strains were negative for the presence of enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC enterotoxin genes, but four strains were positive for ETEC-related fimbriae 987P and F18. Two isolates were Shiga toxin-producing E. coli strains and contained the toxin genesStx2 or Stx2e, both from phylogroup B1. Our data showed that EPEC was the most frequent pathovar and B1 and E were the most common phylogroups detected in E. coli isolated from the feces of diarrheic and non-diarrheic dogs.

  8. Antimicrobial Resistance Characteristics and Phylogenetic Groups of Escherichia coli Isolated From Diarrheic Calves in Southeast of Iran

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    Zahedeh Naderi

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Antimicrobial resistance is one of the main challenges in diarrheal diseases in human and animals. Regardless to the main reason of the disease, approximately all antimicrobial actions including treatment, control and prevention are mostly centralized against Escherichia coli (E. coli strains. Objectives: This work purposed to antimicrobial resistance (AR and determinate virulence genes and phylogenetic groups in E. coli isolates (n=170 obtained from calves with diarrhea. Materials and methods: Isolates were molecular characterized for 17 AR genes and 3 phylogenetic sequences. AR phenotyping were performed on all strains for 12 antimicrobial agents by using disc diffusion method. Results: All AR genes but qnrS were identified with different prevalence in E. coli isolates that the most common genes were aadA (20%, blaTEM (11.7% and sulII (11.2 % belonging to aminoglycoside, β-lactamase and sulphonamide families, respectively. Resistance to the penicillin and sulphamethoxazole drugs was found in 100% of isolates and followed by tetracycline (73.5%, streptomycin (60%, trimethoprim sulphamethoxazole (56.5% and kanamycin (53.5%. The phylogenetic groups A and B1 considerably surrounded the majority of isolates with the frequency of 65.8% and 30.6%, respectively. Conclusions: In Iran, diarrheic calves have an important role as reservoir of resistant E. coli strains against the some drugs which are registered for treatment of calf diarrhea.

  9. The Impact of Media, Phylogenetic Classification, and E. coli Pathotypes on Biofilm Formation in Extraintestinal and Commensal E. coli From Humans and Animals.

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    Nielsen, Daniel W; Klimavicz, James S; Cavender, Tia; Wannemuehler, Yvonne; Barbieri, Nicolle L; Nolan, Lisa K; Logue, Catherine M

    2018-01-01

    Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) include avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC), neonatal meningitis E. coli (NMEC), and uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) and are responsible for significant animal and human morbidity and mortality. This study sought to investigate if biofilm formation by ExPEC likely contributes to these losses since biofilms are associated with recurrent urinary tract infections, antibiotic resistance, and bacterial exchange of genetic material. Therefore, the goal of this study was to examine differences in biofilm formation among a collection of ExPEC and to ascertain if there is a relationship between their ability to produce biofilms and their assignment to phylogenetic groups in three media types - M63, diluted TSB, and BHI. Our results suggest that ExPEC produce relatively different levels of biofilm formation in the media tested as APEC (70.4%, p = 0.0064) and NMEC (84.4%, p = 0.0093) isolates were poor biofilm formers in minimal medium M63 while UPEC isolates produced significantly higher ODs under nutrient-limited conditions with 25% of strains producing strong biofilms in diluted TSB ( p = 0.0204). Additionally, E. coli phylogenetic assignment using Clermont's original and revised typing scheme demonstrated significant differences among the phylogenetic groups in the different media. When the original phylogenetic group isolates previously typed as group D were phylogenetically typed under the revised scheme and examined, they showed substantial variation in their ability to form biofilms, which may explain the significant values of revised phylogenetic groups E and F in M63 ( p = 0.0291, p = 0.0024). Our data indicates that biofilm formation is correlated with phylogenetic classification and subpathotype or commensal grouping of E. coli strains.

  10. Comparative analysis of antibiotic resistance and phylogenetic group patterns in human and porcine urinary tract infectious Escherichia coli

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hancock, Viktoria; Nielsen, E.M.; Krag, L.

    2009-01-01

    Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common infectious diseases in humans and domestic animals such as pigs. The most frequent infectious agent in such infections is Escherichia coli. Virulence characteristics of E. coli UTI strains range from highly virulent pyelonephritis strains...... to relatively benign asymptomatic bacteriuria strains. Here we analyse a spectrum of porcine and human UTI E. coli strains with respect to their antibiotic resistance patterns and their phylogenetic groups, determined by multiplex PCR. The clonal profiles of the strains differed profoundly; whereas human...

  11. The Impact of Media, Phylogenetic Classification, and E. coli Pathotypes on Biofilm Formation in Extraintestinal and Commensal E. coli From Humans and Animals

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    Daniel W. Nielsen

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC include avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC, neonatal meningitis E. coli (NMEC, and uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC and are responsible for significant animal and human morbidity and mortality. This study sought to investigate if biofilm formation by ExPEC likely contributes to these losses since biofilms are associated with recurrent urinary tract infections, antibiotic resistance, and bacterial exchange of genetic material. Therefore, the goal of this study was to examine differences in biofilm formation among a collection of ExPEC and to ascertain if there is a relationship between their ability to produce biofilms and their assignment to phylogenetic groups in three media types – M63, diluted TSB, and BHI. Our results suggest that ExPEC produce relatively different levels of biofilm formation in the media tested as APEC (70.4%, p = 0.0064 and NMEC (84.4%, p = 0.0093 isolates were poor biofilm formers in minimal medium M63 while UPEC isolates produced significantly higher ODs under nutrient-limited conditions with 25% of strains producing strong biofilms in diluted TSB (p = 0.0204. Additionally, E. coli phylogenetic assignment using Clermont’s original and revised typing scheme demonstrated significant differences among the phylogenetic groups in the different media. When the original phylogenetic group isolates previously typed as group D were phylogenetically typed under the revised scheme and examined, they showed substantial variation in their ability to form biofilms, which may explain the significant values of revised phylogenetic groups E and F in M63 (p = 0.0291, p = 0.0024. Our data indicates that biofilm formation is correlated with phylogenetic classification and subpathotype or commensal grouping of E. coli strains.

  12. Virulence, serotype and phylogenetic groups of diarrhoeagenic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Dr DADIE Thomas

    2014-02-17

    Feb 17, 2014 ... The virulence, serotype and phylogenetic traits of diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli were detected in 502 strains isolated during digestive infections. Molecular detection of the target virulence genes, rfb gene of operon O and phylogenetic grouping genes Chua, yjaA and TSPE4.C2 was performed.

  13. Phylogenetic analysis of Escherichia coli isolates from healthy and diarrhoeic calves in Mashhad, Iran

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    M. Barzan

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Escherichia coli is a normal inhabitant of the gastrointestinal tract of vertebrates. Certain Escherichia coli strains have been associated with neonatal diarrhoea in ruminants. These strains can be assigned to one of the four main phylogenetic groups, A, B1, B2 and D. Several studies have shown the rela-tionship between phylogeny and pathogenicity of E. coli, a great deal can be obtained by determining the phylogroup of unknown E. coli strains. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the influence of diar-rhoea on the genetic composition of E. coli populations isolated from calves. A total of 80 Es-cherichia coli isolates were obtained from healthy and diarrhoeic calves. Phylogenetic grouping was done based on the Clermont triplex PCR method using primers targeted at three genetic markers, chuA, yjaA and TspE4.C2. According to our results, phylogenetic group A strains was the most prevalent in both healthy (37.5% and diarrhoeic calves (55%. Group B1 contained 27.5% of isolates in healthy calves, followed by group B2 (17.5%, and group D (7.5%. Also, four isolates from healthy calves were not included in the major phylogenetic groups or subgroups. A total of 14% and 4% of isolates from diarrhoeic calves beloned to phylogroups B2 and D respectively. Although no isolate from diarrhoeic calves was found to belong to group B1, there was no significant difference between healthy and diarrhoeic calves for other phylogroups. There was not a dramatic shift in E. coli phylogroup/subgroup due to occurrence of diarrhoea in calves, except for phylogroup B1 which was higher in healthy calves. This can be due to the difference in secretions of digestive system in diarrhoeic calves which can prevent the conditions for instability of Escherichia coli isolates of phy-logroup B1. The majority of isolates from both healthy and diarrhoeic calves belonged to non-pathogenic phylogentic group A and B1.

  14. Virulence profile of different phylogenetic groups of locally isolated community acquired uropathogenic E. coli from Faisalabad region of Pakistan

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    Bashir Saira

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Uropathogenic E.coli (UPEC are among major pathogens causing urinary tract infections. Virulence factors are mainly responsible for the severity of these emerging infections. This study was planned to investigate the distribution of virulence genes and cytotoxic effects of UPEC isolates with reference to phylogenetic groups (B2, B1, D and A to understand the presence and impact of virulence factors in the severity of infection in Faisalabad region of Pakistan. Methods In this study phylogenetic analysis, virulence gene identification and cytotoxicity of 59 uropathogenic E.coli isolates obtained from non-hospitalized patients was studied. Results Among 59 isolates, phylogenetic group B2 (50% was most dominant followed by groups A, B1 (19% each and D (12%. Isolates present in group D showed highest presence of virulence genes. The prevalence hlyA (37% was highest followed by sfaDE (27%, papC (24%, cnf1 (20%, eaeA (19% and afaBC3 (14%. Highly hemolytic and highly verotoxic isolates mainly belonged to group D and B2. We also found two isolates with simultaneous presence of three fimbrial adhesin genes present on pap, afa, and sfa operons. This has not been reported before and underlines the dynamic nature of these UPEC isolates. Conclusions It was concluded that in local UPEC isolates from non-hospitalized patients, group B2 was more prevalent. However, group D isolates were most versatile as all were equipped with virulence genes and showed highest level of cytotoxicity.

  15. Antimicrobial resistance and molecular characterization of virulence genes, phylogenetic groups of Escherichia coli isolated from diarrheic and healthy camel-calves in Tunisia.

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    Bessalah, Salma; Fairbrother, John Morris; Salhi, Imed; Vanier, Ghyslaine; Khorchani, Touhami; Seddik, Mouldi Mabrouk; Hammadi, Mohamed

    2016-12-01

    This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of virulence genes, serogroups, antimicrobial resistance and phylogenetic groups of Escherichia coli strains isolated from diarrheic and healthy camel calves in Tunisia. From 120 fecal samples (62 healthy and 58 diarrheic camel calves aged less than 3 months), 70 E. coli isolates (53 from diarrheic herds and 17 from healthy herds) were examined by PCR for detection of the virulence genes associated with pathogenic E. coli in animals. A significantly greater frequency of the f17 gene was observed in individual camels and in herds with diarrhea, this gene being found in 44.7% and 41.5% of isolates from camels and herds with diarrhea versus 22.5% and 11.7% in camels (p=0.05) and herds without diarrhea (p=0.02). The aida, cnf1/2, f18, stx2 and paa genes were found only in isolates from camels with diarrhea, although at a low prevalence, 1.8%, 3.7%, 1.8%, 3.7% and 11.3%, respectively. Prevalence of afa8, cdtB, eae, east1, iroN, iss, kpsMTII, paa, sfa, tsh and papC genes did not differ significantly between herds with or without diarrhea. Genes coding for faeG, fanC, f41, estI, estII, CS31a and eltA were not detected in any isolates. All isolates were sensitive to amikacin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin and ceftiofur and the highest frequency of resistance was observed to tetracycline, and ampicillin (52.8% and 37.1% respectively). The phylogenetic groups were identified by conventional triplex PCR. Results showed that E. coli strains segregated mainly in phylogenetic group B1, 52.8% in diarrheic herds and 52.9% in healthy herds. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Antibiotic Resistance Profile in Relation to Phylogenetic Background in Escherichia coli Isolated From Fecal Samples of Healthy Ostrich

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    Elham Mohamadi

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Background: E. coli is regarded as a reservoir for antibiotic resistance in foods of animal origin. E. coli can be categories into four mainphylogenetic groups (A, B1, B2 and D. The commensal E. coli strains mostly are assigned to the phylo-groups A and B1. Objectives: The purposes of this study were to determine the phylogenetic group/subgroups and antibiotic resistance patterns of ostrich E. coli isolates in Iran. Materials and Methods: A total of 126 E. coli isolates were obtained from cloacae swabs of the healthy ostrich in Kerman, Iran. The E. coliisolates were confirmed using biochemical API 20E identification system. The confirmed isolates were studied to determine phylogeneticbackground by PCR. The isolates were tested for antibiotic resistance against 12 different antibiotic disk by disk diffusion method. Results: Phylotyping of E. coli isolates indicated that 74 isolates belonged to A, 27 isolates to B1, 7 isolates to B2, and 18 isolates to D groups.Also the isolates fell into six phylogenetic subgroups, including 34 isolates in A0, 40 isolates in A1, one isolate in B22, 6 isolates in B23, 11isolates in D1 and 7 isolates in subgroup D2. In the examined E. coli isolates, the maximum rate of resistance was against tetracycline, andthe minimum rate of resistance was against amoxicillin. Twenty three antibiotic resistance patterns were detected among the isolates. Thecefoxitin and tetracycline resistance pattern was the most prevalent in the isolates that belonged to phylo-group A. Conclusions: In conclusion, the result of the present study revealed a low frequency of antibiotic resistance in ostrich E. coli isolates.The antibiotic resistance patterns were in relation to A and D phylogenetic groups. Further studies are needed to better understand thedistribution of phylogenetic groups in poultry isolates.

  17. Antimicrobial resistance, virulence, and phylogenetic characteristics of Escherichia coli isolates from clinically healthy swine.

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    Lay, Khin Khin; Koowattananukul, Chailai; Chansong, Nisit; Chuanchuen, Rungtip

    2012-11-01

    A total of 344 commensal Escherichia coli isolates from clinically healthy pigs were examined for antimicrobial resistance phenotypes, class 1 integrons, resistance genes, virulence gene profile, and phylogenetic groups. The majority of E. coli isolates were resistant to tetracycline (96.2%) and ampicillin (91.6%). Up to 98% were multidrug resistant. Seventy-three percent of the isolates carried class 1 integrons. Inserted-gene cassette arrays in variable regions included incomplete sat, aadA22, aadA1, dfrA12-aadA2, and sat-psp-aadA2, of which the aadA2 gene cassette was most prevalent (42.9%). Horizontal transfer was detected in eight E. coli isolates carrying class 1 integrons with dfrA12-aadA2 gene cassette array. Sixteen resistance genes were identified among the E. coli isolates with corresponding resistance phenotype. Ten virulence genes (including elt, estA, estB, astA, faeG, fasA, fedA, eaeA, paa, and sepA) were detected, of which fasA was most commonly found (98.3%). Most of the E. coli isolates belonged to phylogenetic group B1. Significantly positive associations were observed between some virulence genes and some resistance phenotypes and genotypes (p antimicrobial resistance-encoding genes and virulence determinants.

  18. MOLECULAR-PHYLOGENETIC CHARACTERIZATION AND ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE OF Escherichia coli ISOLATED FROM GOATS WITH DIARRHEA

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    Rodrigo Almeida Guimarães

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Neonatal diarrhea determines significant changes in feed conversion, causing productivity loss in caprine herds. The antimicrobial resistance in bacteria is characterized as an important public health issue; therefore, Escherichia coli may be characterized as an important pathogen due to expressing virulence mechanisms responsible for significant clinical conditions in humans and animals. The present study evaluated the presence of E. coli among 117 caprine fecal samples and analyzed the isolates for antimicrobial resistance. Suggestive colonies were submitted to biochemical screening followed by genotypic group determination and phylogenetic analysis; further, the samples were submitted to antimicrobials susceptibility test. E. coli, Salmonella spp, Shigella sonnei and Enterobacter aerogenes were identified. E. coli isolates were phylogenetically classified as B2 (9/39, D (19/39, B1 (7/39 e A (4/29 groups. The analysis of the isolates also revealed the presence of K99 (04/39 and Stx (02/39 virulence factors. Antimicrobial susceptibility test revealed sensitive isolates to Chloramphenicol, Streptomycin, Amoxicillin and Ciprofloxacin, being all resistant to Lincomycin, Vancomycin and Penicillin. The results support the need of establishing restricted protocols for antimicrobial use, a fundamental procedure for health improvement in Brazilian caprine herds.

  19. Development of a multiplex real-time PCR assay for phylogenetic analysis of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli.

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    Hasanpour, Mojtaba; Najafi, Akram

    2017-06-01

    Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is among major pathogens causing 80-90% of all episodes of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Recently, E. coli strains are divided into eight main phylogenetic groups including A, B1, B2, C, D, E, F, and clade I. This study was aimed to develop a rapid, sensitive, and specific multiplex real time PCR method capable of detecting phylogenetic groups of E. coli strains. This study was carried out on E. coli strains (isolated from the patient with UTI) in which the presence of all seven target genes had been confirmed in our previous phylogenetic study. An EvaGreen-based singleplex and multiplex real-time PCR with melting curve analysis was designed for simultaneous detection and differentiation of these genes. The primers were selected mainly based on the production of amplicons with melting temperatures (T m ) ranging from 82°C to 93°C and temperature difference of more than 1.5°C between each peak.The multiplex real-time PCR assays that have been developed in the present study were successful in detecting the eight main phylogenetic groups. Seven distinct melting peaks were discriminated, with Tm value of 93±0.8 for arpA, 89.2±0.1for chuA, 86.5±0.1 for yjaA, 82.3±0.2 for TspE4C2, 87.8±0.1for trpAgpC, 85.4±0.6 for arpAgpE genes, and 91±0.5 for the internal control. To our knowledge, this study is the first melting curve-based real-time PCR assay developed for simultaneous and discrete detection of these seven target genes. Our findings showed that this assay has the potential to be a rapid, reliable and cost-effective alternative for routine phylotyping of E. coli strains. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Characterization of Escherichia coli Phylogenetic Groups ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    tract infection (UTI), bacteremia, pneumonia, soft-tissue infection, and ... Keywords: Drug resistance, Escherichia coli, Extraintestinal infections, Polymerase chain reaction, .... gynecology, 12 from orthopedics and 5 from pediatrics units.

  1. Antibiotic resistance, phylogenetic grouping and virulence potential of Escherichia coli isolated from the faeces of intensively farmed and free range poultry.

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    Obeng, Akua Serwaah; Rickard, Heather; Ndi, Olasumbo; Sexton, Margaret; Barton, Mary

    2012-01-27

    Antibiotic use in poultry production is a risk factor for promoting the emergence of resistant Escherichia coli. To ascertain differences in different classes of chickens, the resistance profile, some virulence genes and phylogenetic grouping on 251 E. coli isolates from intensive meat (free range and indoor commercial) and free range egg layer chickens collected between December 2008 and June 2009 in South Australia were performed. Among the 251 strains, 102 (40.6%) and 67 (26.7%) were found to be resistant to tetracycline and ampicillin respectively. Resistance was also observed to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (12.4%), streptomycin (10.8%), spectinomycin (9.6%), neomycin (6.0%) and florfenicol (2.0%) but no resistance was found to ceftiofur, ciprofloxacin or gentamicin. Amplification of DNA of the isolates by polymerase chain reaction revealed the presence of genes that code for resistant determinants: tetracycline (tet(A), tet(B) and tet(C)), ampicillin (bla(TEM) and bla(SHV)), trimethoprim (dhfrV and dhfrXIII), sulphonamide (sulI and sulII), neomycin (aph(3)-Ia(aphA1)), and spectinomycin-streptinomycin (aadA2). In addition, 32.3-39.4% of the isolates were found to belong to commensal groups (A and B1) and 11.2-17.1% belonged to the virulent groups (B2 and D). Among the 251 E. coli isolates, 25 (10.0%) carried two or more virulence genes typical of Extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC). Furthermore, 17 of the isolates with multi-resistance were identified to be groups B2 and D. Although no significant difference was observed between isolates from free range and indoor commercial meat chickens (P>0.05), significant differences was observed between the different classes of meat chickens (free range and indoor commercial) and egg layers (Pzoonotic potential of poultry E. coli isolates. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  2. aes, the gene encoding the esterase B in Escherichia coli, is a powerful phylogenetic marker of the species

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    Tuffery Pierre

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Previous studies have established a correlation between electrophoretic polymorphism of esterase B, and virulence and phylogeny of Escherichia coli. Strains belonging to the phylogenetic group B2 are more frequently implicated in extraintestinal infections and include esterase B2 variants, whereas phylogenetic groups A, B1 and D contain less virulent strains and include esterase B1 variants. We investigated esterase B as a marker of phylogeny and/or virulence, in a thorough analysis of the esterase B-encoding gene. Results We identified the gene encoding esterase B as the acetyl-esterase gene (aes using gene disruption. The analysis of aes nucleotide sequences in a panel of 78 reference strains, including the E. coli reference (ECOR strains, demonstrated that the gene is under purifying selection. The phylogenetic tree reconstructed from aes sequences showed a strong correlation with the species phylogenetic history, based on multi-locus sequence typing using six housekeeping genes. The unambiguous distinction between variants B1 and B2 by electrophoresis was consistent with Aes amino-acid sequence analysis and protein modelling, which showed that substituted amino acids in the two esterase B variants occurred mostly at different sites on the protein surface. Studies in an experimental mouse model of septicaemia using mutant strains did not reveal a direct link between aes and extraintestinal virulence. Moreover, we did not find any genes in the chromosomal region of aes to be associated with virulence. Conclusion Our findings suggest that aes does not play a direct role in the virulence of E. coli extraintestinal infection. However, this gene acts as a powerful marker of phylogeny, illustrating the extensive divergence of B2 phylogenetic group strains from the rest of the species.

  3. O-serotyping of Escherichia coli Strains isolated from Patients With Urinary Tract Infection in Southeast of Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmad Rashki

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC O-serogroups with their phylogenetic background are the most prevalent causes of urinary tract infections (UTIs. Objectives: The association of O types with phylogenetic background was assessed among E. coli isolates collected from patients with UTI. Patients and Methods: In this study, 186 patients with UTI, referred to two hospitals affiliated to Zabol University of Medical Sciences in southeast of Iran, were enrolled during January to July 2013. Phylogenetic groups and serotyping were performed using multiplex-PCR method. Results: A total of 100 E. coli strains were isolated from the urine samples. The most common types of O antigens were O2 (16.43%, O6 (16.43% and O18 (13.69%. The phylogenetic analysis showed that 63 O-antigen-positive isolates were mainly segregated from the phylogenetic group B2 (56% and the substantial prevalence (30% belonged to the phylogenetic group D. Conclusions: This was the first report of E. coli serotyping in patient with UTI from southeast of Iran as well as investigation of their relation with phylogenetic pattern by multiplex-PCR. Further studies from other parts of Iran and on other serotypes are recommended.

  4. Genomic Comparative Study of Bovine Mastitis Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kempf, Florent; Slugocki, Cindy; Blum, Shlomo E; Leitner, Gabriel; Germon, Pierre

    2016-01-01

    Escherichia coli, one of the main causative agents of bovine mastitis, is responsible for significant losses on dairy farms. In order to better understand the pathogenicity of E. coli mastitis, an accurate characterization of E. coli strains isolated from mastitis cases is required. By using phylogenetic analyses and whole genome comparison of 5 currently available mastitis E. coli genome sequences, we searched for genotypic traits specific for mastitis isolates. Our data confirm that there is a bias in the distribution of mastitis isolates in the different phylogenetic groups of the E. coli species, with the majority of strains belonging to phylogenetic groups A and B1. An interesting feature is that clustering of strains based on their accessory genome is very similar to that obtained using the core genome. This finding illustrates the fact that phenotypic properties of strains from different phylogroups are likely to be different. As a consequence, it is possible that different strategies could be used by mastitis isolates of different phylogroups to trigger mastitis. Our results indicate that mastitis E. coli isolates analyzed in this study carry very few of the virulence genes described in other pathogenic E. coli strains. A more detailed analysis of the presence/absence of genes involved in LPS synthesis, iron acquisition and type 6 secretion systems did not uncover specific properties of mastitis isolates. Altogether, these results indicate that mastitis E. coli isolates are rather characterized by a lack of bona fide currently described virulence genes.

  5. Phylogenetic Analysis Reveals Common Antimicrobial Resistant Campylobacter coli Population in Antimicrobial-Free (ABF) and Commercial Swine Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quintana-Hayashi, Macarena P.; Thakur, Siddhartha

    2012-01-01

    The objective of this study was to compare the population biology of antimicrobial resistant (AR) Campylobacter coli isolated from swine reared in the conventional and antimicrobial-free (ABF) swine production systems at farm, slaughter and environment. A total of 200 C. coli isolates selected from fecal, environmental, and carcass samples of ABF (n = 100) and conventional (n = 100) swine production systems were typed by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Sequence data from seven housekeeping genes was analyzed for the identification of allelic profiles, sequence types (STs) and clonal complex determination. Phylogenetic trees were generated to establish the relationships between the genotyped isolates. A total of 51 STs were detected including two novel alleles (glnA 424 and glyA 464) and 14 novel STs reported for the first time. The majority of the C. coli isolates belonged to ST-854 (ABF: 31, conventional: 17), and were grouped in clonal complex ST-828 (ABF: 68%, conventional: 66%). The mean genetic diversity (H) for the ABF (0.3963+/−0.0806) and conventional (0.4655+/−0.0714) systems were similar. The index of association () for the ABF ( = 0.1513) and conventional ( = 0.0991) C. coli populations were close to linkage equilibrium, indicative of a freely recombining population. Identical STs were detected between the pigs and their environment both at farm and slaughter. A minimum spanning tree revealed the close clustering of C. coli STs that originated from swine and carcass with those from the environment. In conclusion, our study reveals a genotypic diverse C. coli population that shares a common ancestry in the conventional and ABF swine production systems. This could potentially explain the high prevalence of antimicrobial resistant C. coli in the ABF system in the absence of antimicrobial selection pressure. PMID:22984540

  6. Genome analysis of E. coli isolated from Crohn's disease patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rakitina, Daria V; Manolov, Alexander I; Kanygina, Alexandra V; Garushyants, Sofya K; Baikova, Julia P; Alexeev, Dmitry G; Ladygina, Valentina G; Kostryukova, Elena S; Larin, Andrei K; Semashko, Tatiana A; Karpova, Irina Y; Babenko, Vladislav V; Ismagilova, Ruzilya K; Malanin, Sergei Y; Gelfand, Mikhail S; Ilina, Elena N; Gorodnichev, Roman B; Lisitsyna, Eugenia S; Aleshkin, Gennady I; Scherbakov, Petr L; Khalif, Igor L; Shapina, Marina V; Maev, Igor V; Andreev, Dmitry N; Govorun, Vadim M

    2017-07-19

    Escherichia coli (E. coli) has been increasingly implicated in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD). The phylogeny of E. coli isolated from Crohn's disease patients (CDEC) was controversial, and while genotyping results suggested heterogeneity, the sequenced strains of E. coli from CD patients were closely related. We performed the shotgun genome sequencing of 28 E. coli isolates from ten CD patients and compared genomes from these isolates with already published genomes of CD strains and other pathogenic and non-pathogenic strains. CDEC was shown to belong to A, B1, B2 and D phylogenetic groups. The plasmid and several operons from the reference CD-associated E. coli strain LF82 were demonstrated to be more often present in CDEC genomes belonging to different phylogenetic groups than in genomes of commensal strains. The operons include carbon-source induced invasion GimA island, prophage I, iron uptake operons I and II, capsular assembly pathogenetic island IV and propanediol and galactitol utilization operons. Our findings suggest that CDEC are phylogenetically diverse. However, some strains isolated from independent sources possess highly similar chromosome or plasmids. Though no CD-specific genes or functional domains were present in all CD-associated strains, some genes and operons are more often found in the genomes of CDEC than in commensal E. coli. They are principally linked to gut colonization and utilization of propanediol and other sugar alcohols.

  7. Detection of coliform bacteria, determination of phylogenetic typing and antibiotic resistance profile of Escherichia coli in qanats and springs of East-Azerbaijan province

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. Shabani Lokarani

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Escherichia coli as a fecal contamination and is considered as an index in water. The aim of this study was to determine the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of E. coli and antibiotic resistance of the isolates collected from qanats and springs in East-Azerbaijan province. For this purpose, 118 samples were selected from above mentioned area and examined by MPN method. The positive coliform samples were identified by phenotypic and genotypic methods. Afterwards, to determine the genetic diversity of E. coli isolates, phylogenetic typing we conducted by means of multiplex PCR. To determine the antibiotic resistance profile, antibiotic discs of Nalidixic Acid, Co-trimoxazol, Amoxicillin, Gentamaicin Ciprofloxacin, Chloramphenicol, Imipenem, Cefotaxime and Ceftazidime antibiogram were used. Based on results, 48% of the samples were evaluated as positive for coliform including 40% for E. coli and 19% for Klebsiella. Amongst 23 isolates confirmed as E. coli by PCR. Phylogenetic typing revealed  that 44% of E. coli strains belonged to type D and B2 and 56% belonged to A and B1 phylotypes. Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern showed that 92% of E. coli isolates were resistant to Amoxicillin. All E. coli isolates were sensitive to Imipenem. It was concluded that presence of pathogenic E. coli with high rate of antibacterial resistance in waters source could be considered as a human health hazard.

  8. Antimicrobial resistance and phylogenetic groups in isolates of Escherichia coli from seagulls at the Berlengas nature reserve.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radhouani, H; Poeta, P; Igrejas, G; Gonçalves, A; Vinué, L; Torres, C

    2009-08-01

    Fifty-three faecal samples from yellow-legged gulls (Larus cachinnans) at the Berlengas nature reserve in Portugal were cultured on Levine agar plates not supplemented with antimicrobial agents, and one Escherichia coli colony was isolated and identified from each sample. The percentages of resistant isolates for each of the drugs were ampicillin (43.4 per cent), tetracycline (39.6 per cent), nalidixic acid (34.0 per cent), streptomycin (32.1 per cent), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (SXT) (26.4 per cent), ciprofloxacin (18.9 per cent), chloramphenicol (18.9 per cent), gentamicin (7.5 per cent), tobramycin (7.5 per cent) amikacin (5.7 per cent) and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (1.9 per cent). All the isolates were susceptible to cefoxitin, ceftazidime, cefotaxime, aztreonam and imipenem. The following resistance genes were detected: bla(TEM) (17 of 23 ampicillin-resistant isolates), tet(A) and/or tet(B) (18 of 21 tetracycline-resistant isolates), aadA (12 of 17 streptomycin-resistant isolates), cmlA (all chloramphenicol-resistant isolates), aac(3)-II with or without aac(3)-IV (all four gentamicin-resistant isolates), and sul1 and/or sul2 and/or sul3 (all 14 SXT-resistant isolates). The intI1 gene was detected in 10 of 14 SXT-resistant isolates, and three of them also contained class 2 integrons; four different gene cassette arrangements were identified among class 1 integrons (aadA, dfrA1+aadA1, dfrA12+orfF+aadA2 and sat+psp+aadA2) and one among the class 2 integrons (dfrA1+sat+aadA1). Ninety per cent of the isolates were included in the A or B1 phylogenetic groups.

  9. Fate of the H-NS-repressed bgl operon in evolution of Escherichia coli.

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    T Sabari Sankar

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available In the enterobacterial species Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica, expression of horizontally acquired genes with a higher than average AT content is repressed by the nucleoid-associated protein H-NS. A classical example of an H-NS-repressed locus is the bgl (aryl-beta,D-glucoside operon of E. coli. This locus is "cryptic," as no laboratory growth conditions are known to relieve repression of bgl by H-NS in E. coli K12. However, repression can be relieved by spontaneous mutations. Here, we investigated the phylogeny of the bgl operon. Typing of bgl in a representative collection of E. coli demonstrated that it evolved clonally and that it is present in strains of the phylogenetic groups A, B1, and B2, while it is presumably replaced by a cluster of ORFans in the phylogenetic group D. Interestingly, the bgl operon is mutated in 20% of the strains of phylogenetic groups A and B1, suggesting erosion of bgl in these groups. However, bgl is functional in almost all B2 isolates and, in approximately 50% of them, it is weakly expressed at laboratory growth conditions. Homologs of bgl genes exist in Klebsiella, Enterobacter, and Erwinia species and also in low GC-content Gram-positive bacteria, while absent in E. albertii and Salmonella sp. This suggests horizontal transfer of bgl genes to an ancestral Enterobacterium. Conservation and weak expression of bgl in isolates of phylogenetic group B2 may indicate a functional role of bgl in extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli.

  10. Treatment of inflammatory bowel disease associated E. coli with ciprofloxacin and E. coli Nissle in the streptomycin-treated mouse intestine

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petersen, Andreas Munk; Schjørring, Susanne; Gerstrøm, Sarah Choi

    2011-01-01

    E. coli belonging to the phylogenetic group B2 are linked to Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Studies have shown that antimicrobials have some effect in the treatment of IBD, and it has been demonstrated that E. coli Nissle has prophylactic abilities comparable to 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA......) therapy in ulcerative colitis. The objective of this study was to test if ciprofloxacin and/or E. coli Nissle could eradicate IBD associated E. coli in the streptomycin-treated mouse intestine....

  11. Virulence, serotype and phylogenetic groups of diarrhoeagenic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Dr DADIE Thomas

    2014-02-17

    Feb 17, 2014 ... Phylogenetic characteristics play an important role for traceability and knowledge of ... amplification reaction was performed by PCR in a 25 μl reaction ...... Hierarchical grouping to optimize an objective function. J. Am. Statist.

  12. Molecular characterization of some new E. coli strains theoretically responsible for both intestinal and extraintestinal infections

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    Ghaleb Adwan

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Strains of E. coli are divided into 3 major groups; commensal strains, diarrheagenic (intestinal E. coli pathotypes and extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli. Extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli are unlike diarrheagenic pathotypes, they have not ability to cause intestinal disease in human, but they have normal ability for long-term colonization in the gut. This study aimed to spotlight on that intestinal and extraintestinal infections are not restricted to intestinal pathotypes and extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli, respectively. A total of 102 uropathogenic E. coli isolates were collected during 2012 and 2015. A multiplex PCR was used to detect phylogenetic groups, virulence factors for extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli and intestinal E. coli pathotypes genes. Results of this research showed that 12 (11.8% uropathogenic E. coli isolates had genes that are theoretically responsible for intestinal diseases, were 10 of these isolates belonged to phylogentic group D and 2 isolates to phylogentic group A. We conclude from these results, this is the first report on the molecular characterization of E. coli that theoretically can cause both intestinal and extraintestinal infections simultaneously. The presence of these strains has a great impact on public health. More studies are necessary before definitive conclusions if these strains are a different clone that theoretically have ability to cause both intestinal and extraintestinal infections and belonged to phylogenetic groups other than A and D. Products of diarrheagenic genes in UPEC strains need further studies to detect their effects in intestinal infections

  13. Escherichia coli ST131, an Intriguing Clonal Group

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertrand, Xavier; Madec, Jean-Yves

    2014-01-01

    SUMMARY In 2008, a previously unknown Escherichia coli clonal group, sequence type 131 (ST131), was identified on three continents. Today, ST131 is the predominant E. coli lineage among extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) isolates worldwide. Retrospective studies have suggested that it may originally have risen to prominence as early as 2003. Unlike other classical group B2 ExPEC isolates, ST131 isolates are commonly reported to produce extended-spectrum β-lactamases, such as CTX-M-15, and almost all are resistant to fluoroquinolones. Moreover, ST131 E. coli isolates are considered to be truly pathogenic, due to the spectrum of infections they cause in both community and hospital settings and the large number of virulence-associated genes they contain. ST131 isolates therefore seem to contradict the widely held view that high levels of antimicrobial resistance are necessarily associated with a fitness cost leading to a decrease in pathogenesis. Six years after the first description of E. coli ST131, this review outlines the principal traits of ST131 clonal group isolates, based on the growing body of published data, and highlights what is currently known and what we need to find out to provide public health authorities with better information to help combat ST131. PMID:24982321

  14. Escherichia coli pyomyositis in an immunocompromised host.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Umesh; Schwan, William R; Agger, William A

    2011-08-01

    Pyomyositis due to Escherichia coli (E. coil) is rarely reported in immunocompromised patients with hematological malignancy. We present a case report of a 34-year-old man who developed E. coli pyomyositis as a complication of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the right hip suggested myofascial infection of the gluteal muscles, and a needle muscle aspiration grew E. coli phylogenetic group B2. The patient responded to intravenous piperacillin/tazobactam followed by prolonged oral levofloxacin. Pyomyositis should be suspected in all immunocompromised patients complaining of muscle pain and may exhibit signs of localized muscle infection. Appropriate antibiotic therapy targeting fluoroquinolone-resistant E. coli should be considered for initial empiric therapy of pyomyositis in immunocompromised patients.

  15. Phylogenetic incongruence in E. coli O104: understanding the evolutionary relationships of emerging pathogens in the face of homologous recombination.

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    Weilong Hao

    Full Text Available Escherichia coli O104:H4 was identified as an emerging pathogen during the spring and summer of 2011 and was responsible for a widespread outbreak that resulted in the deaths of 50 people and sickened over 4075. Traditional phenotypic and genotypic assays, such as serotyping, pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE, and multilocus sequence typing (MLST, permit identification and classification of bacterial pathogens, but cannot accurately resolve relationships among genotypically similar but pathotypically different isolates. To understand the evolutionary origins of E. coli O104:H4, we sequenced two strains isolated in Ontario, Canada. One was epidemiologically linked to the 2011 outbreak, and the second, unrelated isolate, was obtained in 2010. MLST analysis indicated that both isolates are of the same sequence type (ST678, but whole-genome sequencing revealed differences in chromosomal and plasmid content. Through comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of five O104:H4 ST678 genomes, we identified 167 genes in three gene clusters that have undergone homologous recombination with distantly related E. coli strains. These recombination events have resulted in unexpectedly high sequence diversity within the same sequence type. Failure to recognize or adjust for homologous recombination can result in phylogenetic incongruence. Understanding the extent of homologous recombination among different strains of the same sequence type may explain the pathotypic differences between the ON2010 and ON2011 strains and help shed new light on the emergence of this new pathogen.

  16. Ongoing Horizontal and Vertical Transmission of Virulence Genes and papA Alleles among Escherichia coli Blood Isolates from Patients with Diverse-Source Bacteremia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, James R.; O'Bryan, Timothy T.; Kuskowski, Michael; Maslow, Joel N.

    2001-01-01

    The phylogenetic distributions of multiple putative virulence factors (VFs) and papA (P fimbrial structural subunit) alleles among 182 Escherichia coli blood isolates from patients with diverse-source bacteremia were defined. Phylogenetic correspondence among these strains, the E. coli Reference (ECOR) collection, and other collections of extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) was assessed. Although among the 182 bacteremia isolates phylogenetic group B2 predominated, exhibited the greatest concentration of individual VFs, and contained the largest number of familiar virulent clones, other phylogenetic groups exhibited greater concentrations of certain VFs than did group B2 and included several additional virulent clones. Certain of the newly detected VF genes, e.g., fyuA (yersiniabactin; 76%) and focG (F1C fimbriae; 25%), were as prevalent or more prevalent than their more familiar traditional counterparts, e.g., iut (aerobactin; 57%) and sfaS (S fimbriae; 14%), thus possibly offering additional useful targets for preventive interventions. Considerable diversity of VF profiles was observed at every level within the phylogenetic tree, including even within individual lineages. This suggested that many different pathways can lead to extraintestinal virulence in E. coli and that the evolution of ExPEC, which involves extensive horizontal transmission of VFs and continuous remodeling of pathogenicity-associated islands, is a highly active, ongoing process. PMID:11500406

  17. Rapid and reliable discrimination between Shigella species and Escherichia coli using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Paauw, A.; Jonker, D.; Roeselers, G.; Heng, J.M.E.; Mars-Groenendijk, R.H.; Trip, H.; Molhoek, E.M.; Jansen, H.J.; Plas, J. van der; Jong, A.L. de; Majchrzykiewicz-Koehorst, J.A.; Speksnijder, A.G.C.L.

    2015-01-01

    E. coli-. Shigella species are a cryptic group of bacteria in which the Shigella species are distributed within the phylogenetic tree of E. coli. The nomenclature is historically based and the discrimination of these genera developed as a result of the epidemiological need to identify the cause of

  18. Comprehensive Molecular Characterization of Escherichia coli Isolates from Urine Samples of Hospitalized Patients in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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    Ana Carolina C. Campos

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Urinary tract infections (UTIs are often caused by Escherichia coli. Their increasing resistance to broad-spectrum antibiotics challenges the treatment of UTIs. Whereas, E. coli ST131 is often multidrug resistant (MDR, ST69 remains susceptible to antibiotics such as cephalosporins. Both STs are commonly linked to community and nosocomial infections. E. coli phylogenetic groups B2 and D are associated with virulence and resistance profiles making them more pathogenic. Little is known about the population structure of E. coli isolates obtained from urine samples of hospitalized patients in Brazil. Therefore, we characterized E. coli isolated from urine samples of patients hospitalized at the university and three private hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, using whole genome sequencing. A high prevalence of E. coli ST131 and ST69 was found, but other lineages, namely ST73, ST648, ST405, and ST10 were also detected. Interestingly, isolates could be divided into two groups based on their antibiotic susceptibility. Isolates belonging to ST131, ST648, and ST405 showed a high resistance rate to all antibiotic classes tested, whereas isolates belonging to ST10, ST73, ST69 were in general susceptible to the antibiotics tested. Additionally, most ST69 isolates, normally resistant to aminoglycosides, were susceptible to this antibiotic in our population. The majority of ST131 isolates were ESBL-producing and belonged to serotype O25:H4 and the H30-R subclone. Previous studies showed that this subclone is often associated with more complicated UTIs, most likely due to their high resistance rate to different antibiotic classes. Sequenced isolates could be classified into five phylogenetic groups of which B2, D, and F showed higher resistance rates than groups A and B1. No significant difference for the predicted virulence genes scores was found for isolates belonging to ST131, ST648, ST405, and ST69. In contrast, the phylogenetic groups B2, D and F showed a higher

  19. Genetic Attributes of E. coli Isolates from Chlorinated Drinking Water.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blyton, Michaela D J; Gordon, David M

    2017-01-01

    Escherichia coli, is intimately associated with both human health and water sanitation. E. coli isolates from water can either be (i) host associated commensals, indicating recent faecal contamination; (ii) diarrheal pathogens or (iii) extra-intestinal pathogens that pose a direct health risk; or (iv) free-living. In this study we genetically characterised 28 E. coli isolates obtained from treated drinking water in south eastern Australia to ascertain their likely source. We used full genome sequencing to assign the isolates to their phylogenetic group and multi-locus sequence type. The isolates were also screened in silico for several virulence genes and genes involved in acquired antibiotic resistance. The genetic characteristics of the isolates indicated that four isolates were likely human pathogens. However, these isolates were not detected in sufficient numbers to present a health risk to the public. An additional isolate was a human associated strain. Nine isolates were water associated free-living strains that were unlikely to pose a health risk. Only 14% of the isolates belonged to the host associated phylogenetic group (B2) and only a single isolate had any antibiotic resistance genes. This suggests that the primary source of the drinking water E. coli isolates may not have been recent human faecal contamination.

  20. Genetic Attributes of E. coli Isolates from Chlorinated Drinking Water.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michaela D J Blyton

    Full Text Available Escherichia coli, is intimately associated with both human health and water sanitation. E. coli isolates from water can either be (i host associated commensals, indicating recent faecal contamination; (ii diarrheal pathogens or (iii extra-intestinal pathogens that pose a direct health risk; or (iv free-living. In this study we genetically characterised 28 E. coli isolates obtained from treated drinking water in south eastern Australia to ascertain their likely source. We used full genome sequencing to assign the isolates to their phylogenetic group and multi-locus sequence type. The isolates were also screened in silico for several virulence genes and genes involved in acquired antibiotic resistance. The genetic characteristics of the isolates indicated that four isolates were likely human pathogens. However, these isolates were not detected in sufficient numbers to present a health risk to the public. An additional isolate was a human associated strain. Nine isolates were water associated free-living strains that were unlikely to pose a health risk. Only 14% of the isolates belonged to the host associated phylogenetic group (B2 and only a single isolate had any antibiotic resistance genes. This suggests that the primary source of the drinking water E. coli isolates may not have been recent human faecal contamination.

  1. Phylogenetic groups among Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from Brazil: relationship with antimicrobial resistance and origin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Melo, Maíra Espíndola Silva; Cabral, Adriane Borges; Maciel, Maria Amélia Vieira; da Silveira, Vera Magalhães; de Souza Lopes, Ana Catarina

    2011-05-01

    The objectives of this study were to determine the distribution of phylogenetic groups among Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from Recife, Brazil and to assess the relationship between the groups and the isolation sites and resistance profile. Ninety four isolates of K. pneumoniae from hospital or community infections and from normal microbiota were analyzed by gyrA PCR-RFLP, antibiotic susceptibility, and adonitol fermentation. The results revealed the distinction of three phylogenetic groups, as it has also been reported in Europe, showing that these clusters are highly conserved within K. pneumoniae. Group KpI was dominantly represented by hospital and community isolates while groups KpII and KpIII displayed mainly normal microbiota isolates. The resistance to third generation cephalosporins, aztreonam, imipenem, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, and streptomycin was only observed in KpI. The percentage of resistance was higher in KpI, followed by KpII and KpIII. The differences in the distribution of K. pneumoniae phylogenetic groups observed in this study suggest distinctive clinical and epidemiological characteristics among the three groups, which is important to understand the epidemiology of infections caused by this organism. This is the first study in Brazil on K. pneumoniae isolates from normal microbiota and community infections regarding the distribution of phylogenetic groups based on the gyrA gene.

  2. Three-decade epidemiological analysis of Escherichia coli O15:K52:H1

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olesen, Bente; Scheutz, Flemming; Menard, Megan

    2009-01-01

    The successful Escherichia coli O15:K52:H1 clonal group provides a case study for the emergence of multiresistant clonal groups of Enterobacteriaceae generally. Accordingly, we tested the hypotheses that, over time, the O15:K52:H1 clonal group has become increasingly (i) virulent and (ii) resistant...... to antibiotics. One hundred archived international E. coli O15:K52:[H1] clinical isolates from 100 unique patients (1975 to 2006) were characterized for diverse phenotypic and molecular traits. All 100 isolates derived from phylogenetic group D and, presumptively, sequence type ST393. They uniformly carried...

  3. Phylogenetics of the Phlebotomine Sand Fly Group Verrucarum (Diptera: Psychodidae: Lutzomyia)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohnstaedt, Lee W.; Beati, Lorenza; Caceres, Abraham G.; Ferro, Cristina; Munstermann, Leonard E.

    2011-01-01

    Within the sand fly genus Lutzomyia, the Verrucarum species group contains several of the principal vectors of American cutaneous leishmaniasis and human bartonellosis in the Andean region of South America. The group encompasses 40 species for which the taxonomic status, phylogenetic relationships, and role of each species in disease transmission remain unresolved. Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) phylogenetic analysis of a 667-bp fragment supported the morphological classification of the Verrucarum group into series. Genetic sequences from seven species were grouped in well-supported monophyletic lineages. Four species, however, clustered in two paraphyletic lineages that indicate conspecificity—the Lutzomyia longiflocosa–Lutzomyia sauroida pair and the Lutzomyia quasitownsendi–Lutzomyia torvida pair. COI sequences were also evaluated as a taxonomic tool based on interspecific genetic variability within the Verrucarum group and the intraspecific variability of one of its members, Lutzomyia verrucarum, across its known distribution. PMID:21633028

  4. Phylogenetics of the phlebotomine sand fly group Verrucarum (Diptera: Psychodidae: Lutzomyia).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohnstaedt, Lee W; Beati, Lorenza; Caceres, Abraham G; Ferro, Cristina; Munstermann, Leonard E

    2011-06-01

    Within the sand fly genus Lutzomyia, the Verrucarum species group contains several of the principal vectors of American cutaneous leishmaniasis and human bartonellosis in the Andean region of South America. The group encompasses 40 species for which the taxonomic status, phylogenetic relationships, and role of each species in disease transmission remain unresolved. Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) phylogenetic analysis of a 667-bp fragment supported the morphological classification of the Verrucarum group into series. Genetic sequences from seven species were grouped in well-supported monophyletic lineages. Four species, however, clustered in two paraphyletic lineages that indicate conspecificity--the Lutzomyia longiflocosa-Lutzomyia sauroida pair and the Lutzomyia quasitownsendi-Lutzomyia torvida pair. COI sequences were also evaluated as a taxonomic tool based on interspecific genetic variability within the Verrucarum group and the intraspecific variability of one of its members, Lutzomyia verrucarum, across its known distribution.

  5. Endemic and Epidemic Lineages of Escherichia coli that Cause Urinary Tract Infections

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tabor, Helen; Tellis, Patricia; Vincent, Caroline; Tellier, Pierre-Paul

    2008-01-01

    Women with urinary tract infections (UTIs) in California, USA (1999–2001), were infected with closely related or indistinguishable strains of Escherichia coli (clonal groups), which suggests point source dissemination. We compared strains of UTI-causing E. coli in California with strains causing such infections in Montréal, Québec, Canada. Urine specimens from women with community-acquired UTIs in Montréal (2006) were cultured for E. coli. Isolates that caused 256 consecutive episodes of UTI were characterized by antimicrobial drug susceptibility profile, enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus 2 PCR, serotyping, XbaI and NotI pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, multilocus sequence typing, and phylogenetic typing. We confirmed the presence of drug-resistant, genetically related, and temporally clustered E. coli clonal groups that caused community-acquired UTIs in unrelated women in 2 locations and 2 different times. Two clonal groups were identified in both locations. Epidemic transmission followed by endemic transmission of UTI-causing clonal groups may explain these clusters of UTI cases. PMID:18826822

  6. Fatal necrotizing fasciitis due to necrotic toxin-producing Escherichia coli strain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Gallois

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available We report a fatal case of necrotizing soft tissues infection caused by an Escherichia coli strain belonging to phylogenetic group C and harbouring numerous virulence factors reported to be part of a pathogenicity island (PAI such as PAI IIJ96 and conserved virulence plasmidic region.

  7. No evidence for a bovine mastitis Escherichia coli pathotype.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leimbach, Andreas; Poehlein, Anja; Vollmers, John; Görlich, Dennis; Daniel, Rolf; Dobrindt, Ulrich

    2017-05-08

    Escherichia coli bovine mastitis is a disease of significant economic importance in the dairy industry. Molecular characterization of mastitis-associated E. coli (MAEC) did not result in the identification of common traits. Nevertheless, a mammary pathogenic E. coli (MPEC) pathotype has been proposed suggesting virulence traits that differentiate MAEC from commensal E. coli. The present study was designed to investigate the MPEC pathotype hypothesis by comparing the genomes of MAEC and commensal bovine E. coli. We sequenced the genomes of eight E. coli isolated from bovine mastitis cases and six fecal commensal isolates from udder-healthy cows. We analyzed the phylogenetic history of bovine E. coli genomes by supplementing this strain panel with eleven bovine-associated E. coli from public databases. The majority of the isolates originate from phylogroups A and B1, but neither MAEC nor commensal strains could be unambiguously distinguished by phylogenetic lineage. The gene content of both MAEC and commensal strains is highly diverse and dominated by their phylogenetic background. Although individual strains carry some typical E. coli virulence-associated genes, no traits important for pathogenicity could be specifically attributed to MAEC. Instead, both commensal strains and MAEC have very few gene families enriched in either pathotype. Only the aerobactin siderophore gene cluster was enriched in commensal E. coli within our strain panel. This is the first characterization of a phylogenetically diverse strain panel including several MAEC and commensal isolates. With our comparative genomics approach we could not confirm previous studies that argue for a positive selection of specific traits enabling MAEC to elicit bovine mastitis. Instead, MAEC are facultative and opportunistic pathogens recruited from the highly diverse bovine gastrointestinal microbiota. Virulence-associated genes implicated in mastitis are a by-product of commensalism with the primary function

  8. Presence and Antimicrobial Resistance of Escherichia coli in Ready-to-Eat Foods in Shaanxi, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baloch, Allah Bux; Yang, Hua; Feng, Yuqing; Xi, Meili; Wu, Qian; Yang, Qinhao; Tang, Jingsi; He, Xiangxiang; Xiao, Yingping; Xia, Xiaodong

    2017-03-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the presence and characteristics of Escherichia coli in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods. A total of 300 RTE foods samples were collected in Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China: 50 samples of cooked meat, 165 samples of vegetable salad, 50 samples of cold noodles, and 35 samples of salted boiled peanuts. All samples were collected during summer (in July to October) 2011 and 2012 and surveyed for the presence of E. coli . E. coli isolates recovered were classified by phylogenetic typing using a PCR assay. The presence of Shiga toxin genes 1 (stx 1 ) and 2 (stx 2 ) was determined for these E. coli isolates by PCR, and all isolates were analyzed for antimicrobial susceptibility and the presence of class 1 integrons. Overall, 267 (89.0%) RTE food samples were positive for E. coli : 49 cold noodle, 46 cooked meat, 150 salad vegetable, and 22 salted boiled peanut samples. Of the 267 E. coli isolates, 73.0% belong to phylogenetic group A, 12.4% to group B1, 6.4% to group B2, and 8.2% to group D. All isolates were negative for both Shiga toxin genes. Among the isolates, 74.2% were resistant to at least one antimicrobial agent, and 17.6% were resistant to three or more antimicrobial agents. Resistance to ampicillin (75.6% of isolates) and tetracycline (73.1% of isolates) was most frequently detected; 26.2% of E. coli isolates and 68.8% of multidrug-resistant E. coli isolates were positive for class 1 integrons. All isolates were sensitive to amikacin. Our findings indicate that RTE foods in Shaanxi were commonly contaminated with antibiotic-resistant E. coli , which may pose a risk for consumer health and for transmission of antibiotic resistance. Future research is warranted to track the contamination sources and develop appropriate steps that should be taken by government, industry, and retailers to reduce microbial contamination in RTE foods.

  9. Antibiotic Resistance, RAPD- PCR Typing of Multiple Drug Resistant Strains of Escherichia Coli From Urinary Tract Infection (UTI).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marialouis, Xavier Alexander; Santhanam, Amutha

    2016-03-01

    Global spreading of multidrug resistant strains of Escherichia coli is responsible for Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) which is a major health problem in of concern. Among the gram negative bacteria, the major contributors for UTI belongs to the family Enterobacteriaceae, which includes E. coli, Klebsiella, Citrobacter and Proteus. However, E. coli accounts for the major cause of Urinary tract infections (UTIs) and accounts for 75% to 90% of UTI isolates. The main aim of this study is to analyse the phylogenetic grouping of clinical isolates of UTI E. coli. In this study nearly 58 E. coli strains were isolated and confirmed through microbiological, biochemical characterization. The urine samples were collected from outpatients having symptoms of UTI, irrespective of age and sex in Tamil Nadu, India. The isolates were subjected to analyse for ESBL and AmpC β-lactamase production. To understand its genetic correlation, molecular typing was carried out using RAPD-PCR method. Here we noted phenotypically twenty seven isolates were positive for ESBL and seven for AmpC β-lactamase production. However, among the ESBL isolates higher sensitivity was noted for Nitrofurantoin and Cefoxitin. It is worth to note that the prevalence of UTIs was more common among female and elderly male. Phylogenetic grouping revealed the presence of 24 isolates belonged to B2 group followed by 19 isolates to group A, eight isolates to group B1 and Seven isolates to group D. Phenotypically most of the strains were positive for ESBL and showed high sensitivity for Nitrofurantoin and cefoxitin.

  10. Quantitative analysis of commensal Escherichia coli populations reveals host-specific enterotypes at the intra-species level

    OpenAIRE

    Smati, Mounira; Clermont, Olivier; Bleibtreu, Alexandre; Fourreau, Frédéric; David, Anthony; Daubié, Anne-Sophie; Hignard, Cécile; Loison, Odile; Picard, Bertrand; Denamur, Erick

    2015-01-01

    The primary habitat of the Escherichia coli species is the gut of warm-blooded vertebrates. The E. coli species is structured into four main phylogenetic groups A, B1, B2, and D. We estimated the relative proportions of these phylogroups in the feces of 137 wild and domesticated animals with various diets living in the Ile de France (Paris) region by real-time PCR. We distinguished three main clusters characterized by a particular abundance of two or more phylogroups within the E. coli animal...

  11. Phenotypic and phylogenetic identification of coliform bacteria obtained from 12 USEPA approved coliform methods

    KAUST Repository

    Zhang, Ya

    2015-06-26

    The current definition of coliform bacteria is method-dependent, and when different culture-based methods are used, discrepancies in results can occur and affect the accuracy in identifying true coliforms. This study used an alternative approach to identify true coliforms by combing the phenotypic traits of the coliform isolates and the phylogenetic affiliation of 16S rRNA gene sequences together with the use of lacZ and uidA genes. A collection of 1404 isolates from 12 US Environmental Protection Agency approved coliform-testing methods were characterized based on their phylogenetic affiliations and responses to their original isolation medium and Lauryl Tryptose broth, m-Endo and MI agar media. Isolates were phylogenetically classified into 32 true coliform or targeted Enterobacteriaceae (TE) groups, and 14 non-coliform or non-targeted Enterbacteriaceae (NTE) groups. It was statistically shown that detecting true-positive (TP) events is more challenging than detecting true-negative (TN) events. Furthermore, most false-negative (FN) events were associated with four TE groups (i.e., Serratia group I, Providencia, Proteus, and Morganella), and most false-positive (FP) events with two NTE groups, Aeromonas and Plesiomonas. In Escherichia coli testing, 18 out of 145 E. coli isolates identified by those enzymatic methods were validated as FNs. The reasons behind the FP and FN reactions could be explained through the analysis of the lacZ and uidA gene. Overall, combining the analyses of 16S rRNA, lacZ and uidA genes with the growth responses of TE and NTE on culture-based media is an effective way to evaluate the performance of coliform detection methods.

  12. Phenotypic and phylogenetic identification of coliform bacteria obtained from 12 USEPA approved coliform methods

    KAUST Repository

    Zhang, Ya; Hong, Pei-Ying; LeChevallier, Mark W.; Liu, Wen-Tso

    2015-01-01

    The current definition of coliform bacteria is method-dependent, and when different culture-based methods are used, discrepancies in results can occur and affect the accuracy in identifying true coliforms. This study used an alternative approach to identify true coliforms by combing the phenotypic traits of the coliform isolates and the phylogenetic affiliation of 16S rRNA gene sequences together with the use of lacZ and uidA genes. A collection of 1404 isolates from 12 US Environmental Protection Agency approved coliform-testing methods were characterized based on their phylogenetic affiliations and responses to their original isolation medium and Lauryl Tryptose broth, m-Endo and MI agar media. Isolates were phylogenetically classified into 32 true coliform or targeted Enterobacteriaceae (TE) groups, and 14 non-coliform or non-targeted Enterbacteriaceae (NTE) groups. It was statistically shown that detecting true-positive (TP) events is more challenging than detecting true-negative (TN) events. Furthermore, most false-negative (FN) events were associated with four TE groups (i.e., Serratia group I, Providencia, Proteus, and Morganella), and most false-positive (FP) events with two NTE groups, Aeromonas and Plesiomonas. In Escherichia coli testing, 18 out of 145 E. coli isolates identified by those enzymatic methods were validated as FNs. The reasons behind the FP and FN reactions could be explained through the analysis of the lacZ and uidA gene. Overall, combining the analyses of 16S rRNA, lacZ and uidA genes with the growth responses of TE and NTE on culture-based media is an effective way to evaluate the performance of coliform detection methods.

  13. Detection of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli Related Genes in E. coli Strains Belonging to B2 Phylogroup Isolated from Urinary Tract Infections in Combination with Antimicrobial Resistance Phenotypes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hamid Staji

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Background:  This study was conducted to detect the prevalence of EHEC virulence genes and antimicrobial resistance profile of Escherichia coli strains belonging to B2 phylogroup implicated in Urinary tract infections in Semnan, Iran.Methods:   From 240 urine samples 160 E. coli strains were isolated, biochemically. Then, E. coli isolates were examined by Multiplex-PCR for phylogenetic typing and detection of virulence genes (hly, stx1, stx2, eae associated with Enterohemorrhagic E. coli. Finally, Antimicrobial resistance of E. coli isolates were characterized using Disk Diffusion method.  Results:  From 160 E. coli isolates, 75 strains (47% were assigned to B2 phylogenetic group and prevalence of virulence genes were as follow: hly (21.3%, stx1 (16%, stx2 (10.6% and eae (6.7%, subsequently.  Phenotypic antimicrobial resistance of B2 isolates showed that all isolates were sensitive to Meropenem and Furazolidone and then highest frequency of resistance was observed to Streptomycin, Oxytetracycline, Neomycin, Nalidixic acid and Ampicillin (98.7% to 49.3%. Also low resistance prevalence was observed in case of Ceftizoxime, Lincospectin, Imipenem, Chloramphenicol and flurefenicole (16% to 1.3%.Conclusion:   The data suggest a high prevalence of antibiotic resistance in UPEC strains belonging to B2 phylogroup even for the antimicrobials using in pet and farm animals and their potential to cause EHEC specific clinical symptoms which may represent a serious health risk since these strains can be transmitted to GI tract and act as a reservoir for other uropathogenic E. coli and commensal strains.

  14. Transmission of F4+ E. coli in groups of early weaned piglets

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Geenen, P.L.; Döpfer, D.; Meulen, van der J.; Jong, de M.C.M.

    2005-01-01

    The aim of this study was to estimate transmission parameters of enterotoxigenic F4+ Escherichia coli F4 (F4+ E. coli) in groups of early weaned piglets with F4-receptor-positive (F4R+) and F4-receptor-negative piglets (F4R[minus sign]). Transmission of F4+ E. coli was quantified in four

  15. Comparison of 61 Sequenced Escherichia coli Genomes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lukjancenko, Oksana; Wassenaar, T. M.; Ussery, David

    2010-01-01

    Escherichia coli is an important component of the biosphere and is an ideal model for studies of processes involved in bacterial genome evolution. Sixty-one publically available E. coli and Shigella spp. sequenced genomes are compared, using basic methods to produce phylogenetic and proteomics...

  16. IS3 profiling identifies the enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli O-island 62 in a distinct enteroaggregative E. coli lineage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Okeke Iruka N

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC are important diarrhoeal pathogens that are defined by a HEp-2 adherence assay performed in specialist laboratories. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST has revealed that aggregative adherence is convergent, providing an explanation for why not all EAEC hybridize with the plasmid-derived probe for this category, designated CVD432. Some EAEC lineages are globally disseminated or more closely associated with disease. Results To identify genetic loci conserved within significant EAEC lineages, but absent from non-EAEC, IS3-based PCR profiles were generated for 22 well-characterised EAEC strains. Six bands that were conserved among, or missing from, specific EAEC lineages were cloned and sequenced. One band corresponded to the aggR gene, a plasmid-encoded regulator that has been used as a diagnostic target but predominantly detects EAEC bearing the plasmid already marked by CVD432. The sequence from a second band was homologous to an open-reading frame within the cryptic enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC O157 genomic island, designated O-island 62. Screening of an additional 46 EAEC strains revealed that the EHEC O-island 62 was only present in those EAEC strains belonging to the ECOR phylogenetic group D, largely comprised of sequence type (ST complexes 31, 38 and 394. Conclusions The EAEC 042 gene orf1600, which lies within the EAEC equivalent of O-island 62 island, can be used as a marker for EAEC strains belonging to the ECOR phylogenetic group D. The discovery of EHEC O-island 62 in EAEC validates the genetic profiling approach for identifying conserved loci among phylogenetically related strains.

  17. Phylogenetic continuum indicates "galaxies" in the protein universe: preliminary results on the natural group structures of proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ladunga, I

    1992-04-01

    The markedly nonuniform, even systematic distribution of sequences in the protein "universe" has been analyzed by methods of protein taxonomy. Mapping of the natural hierarchical system of proteins has revealed some dense cores, i.e., well-defined clusterings of proteins that seem to be natural structural groupings, possibly seeds for a future protein taxonomy. The aim was not to force proteins into more or less man-made categories by discriminant analysis, but to find structurally similar groups, possibly of common evolutionary origin. Single-valued distance measures between pairs of superfamilies from the Protein Identification Resource were defined by two chi 2-like methods on tripeptide frequencies and the variable-length subsequence identity method derived from dot-matrix comparisons. Distance matrices were processed by several methods of cluster analysis to detect phylogenetic continuum between highly divergent proteins. Only well-defined clusters characterized by relatively unique structural, intracellular environmental, organismal, and functional attribute states were selected as major protein groups, including subsets of viral and Escherichia coli proteins, hormones, inhibitors, plant, ribosomal, serum and structural proteins, amino acid synthases, and clusters dominated by certain oxidoreductases and apolar and DNA-associated enzymes. The limited repertoire of functional patterns due to small genome size, the high rate of recombination, specific features of the bacterial membranes, or of the virus cycle canalize certain proteins of viruses and Gram-negative bacteria, respectively, to organismal groups.

  18. Antibiotic resistance profile and virulence genes of uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolates in relation to phylogeny.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adib, N; Ghanbarpour, R; Solatzadeh, H; Alizade, H

    2014-03-01

    Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains are the major cause of urinary tract infections (UTI) and belong to the large group of extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli. The purposes of this study were to determine the antibiotic resistance profile, virulence genes and phylogenetic background of E. coli isolates from UTI cases. A total of 137 E. coli isolates were obtained from UTI samples. The antimicrobial susceptibility of confirmed isolates was determined by disk diffusion method against eight antibiotics. The isolates were examined to determine the presence and prevalence of selected virulence genes including iucD, sfa/focDE, papEF and hly. ECOR phylo-groups of isolates were determined by detection of yjaA and chuA genes and fragment TspE4.C2. The antibiogram results showed that 71% of the isolates were resistant to cefazolin, 60.42% to co-trimoxazole, 54.16% to nalidixic acid, 36.45% to gentamicin, 29.18% to ciprofloxacin, 14.58% to cefepime, 6.25% to nitrofurantoin and 0.00% to imipenem. Twenty-two antibiotic resistance patterns were observed among the isolates. Virulence genotyping of isolates revealed that 58.39% isolates had at least one of the four virulence genes. The iucD gene was the most prevalent gene (43.06%). The other genes including sfa/focDE, papEF and hly genes were detected in 35.76%, 18.97% and 2.18% isolates, respectively. Nine combination patterns of the virulence genes were detected in isolates. Phylotyping of 137 isolates revealed that the isolates fell into A (45.99%), B1 (13.14%), B2 (19.71%) and D (21.16%) groups. Phylotyping of multidrug resistant isolates indicated that these isolates are mostly in A (60.34%) and D (20.38%) groups. In conclusion, the isolates that possessed the iucD, sfa/focDE, papEF and hly virulence genes mostly belonged to A and B2 groups, whereas antibiotic resistant isolates were in groups A and D. Escherichia coli strains carrying virulence factors and antibiotic resistance are distributed in specific phylogenetic

  19. Phylogenetic resolution and habitat specificity of members of the Photobacterium phosphoreum species group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ast, Jennifer C; Dunlap, Paul V

    2005-10-01

    Substantial ambiguity exists regarding the phylogenetic status of facultatively psychrophilic luminous bacteria identified as Photobacterium phosphoreum, a species thought to be widely distributed in the world's oceans and believed to be the specific bioluminescent light-organ symbiont of several deep-sea fishes. Members of the P. phosphoreum species group include luminous and non-luminous strains identified phenotypically from a variety of different habitats as well as phylogenetically defined lineages that appear to be evolutionarily distinct. To resolve this ambiguity and to begin developing a meaningful knowledge of the geographic distributions, habitats and symbiotic relationships of bacteria in the P. phosphoreum species group, we carried out a multilocus, fine-scale phylogenetic analysis based on sequences of the 16S rRNA, gyrB and luxABFE genes of many newly isolated luminous strains from symbiotic and saprophytic habitats, together with previously isolated luminous and non-luminous strains identified as P. phosphoreum from these and other habitats. Parsimony analysis unambiguously resolved three evolutionarily distinct clades, phosphoreum, iliopiscarium and kishitanii. The tight phylogenetic clustering within these clades and the distinct separation between them indicates they are different species, P. phosphoreum, Photobacterium iliopiscarium and the newly recognized 'Photobacterium kishitanii'. Previously reported non-luminous strains, which had been identified phenotypically as P. phosphoreum, resolved unambiguously as P. iliopiscarium, and all examined deep-sea fishes (specimens of families Chlorophthalmidae, Macrouridae, Moridae, Trachichthyidae and Acropomatidae) were found to harbour 'P. kishitanii', not P. phosphoreum, in their light organs. This resolution revealed also that 'P. kishitanii' is cosmopolitan in its geographic distribution. Furthermore, the lack of phylogenetic variation within 'P. kishitanii' indicates that this facultatively

  20. Escherichia coli Isolates Causing Asymptomatic Bacteriuria in Catheterized and Noncatheterized Individuals Possess Similar Virulence Properties

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Watts, Rebecca E; Hancock, Viktoria; Ong, Cheryl-lynn Y

    2010-01-01

    Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common infectious diseases of humans, with Escherichia coli being responsible for >80% of all cases. Asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU) occurs when bacteria colonize the urinary tract without causing clinical symptoms and can affect both catheterized...... patients (catheter-associated ABU [CA-ABU]) and noncatheterized patients. Here, we compared the virulence properties of a collection of ABU and CA-ABU nosocomial E. coli isolates in terms of antibiotic resistance, phylogenetic grouping, specific UTI-associated virulence genes, hemagglutination...

  1. Phylogenetic trees

    OpenAIRE

    Baños, Hector; Bushek, Nathaniel; Davidson, Ruth; Gross, Elizabeth; Harris, Pamela E.; Krone, Robert; Long, Colby; Stewart, Allen; Walker, Robert

    2016-01-01

    We introduce the package PhylogeneticTrees for Macaulay2 which allows users to compute phylogenetic invariants for group-based tree models. We provide some background information on phylogenetic algebraic geometry and show how the package PhylogeneticTrees can be used to calculate a generating set for a phylogenetic ideal as well as a lower bound for its dimension. Finally, we show how methods within the package can be used to compute a generating set for the join of any two ideals.

  2. Phylogenetic grouping and distribution of virulence genes in Escherichia coli along the production and supply chain of pork around Hubei, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Sher Bahadar; Zou, Geng; Cheng, Yu-Ting; Xiao, Ran; Li, Lu; Wu, Bin; Zhou, Rui

    2017-06-01

    Escherichia coli is an important foodborne zoonotic pathogen. A total of 285 strains of E. coli were isolated from the production and supply chain of pork in Hubei, China and characterized. Their phylogroups (A, B1, B2, and D) and virulence genes of public health importance become more and more diverse along the production and supply chain. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  3. Identification of Four Distinct Phylogenetic Groups in Flavobacterium columnare With Fish Host Associations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Benjamin R. LaFrentz

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Columnaris disease, caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Flavobacterium columnare, is one of the most prevalent fish diseases worldwide. An exceptionally high level of genetic diversity among isolates of F. columnare has long been recognized, whereby six established genomovars have been described to date. However, little has been done to quantify or characterize this diversity further in a systematic fashion. The objective of this research was to perform phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA and housekeeping gene sequences to decipher the genetic diversity of F. columnare. Fifty isolates and/or genomes of F. columnare, originating from diverse years, geographic locations, fish hosts, and representative of the six genomovars were analyzed in this study. A multilocus phylogenetic analysis (MLPA of the 16S rRNA and six housekeeping genes supported four distinct F. columnare genetic groups. There were associations between genomovar and genetic group, but these relationships were imperfect indicating that genomovar assignment does not accurately reflect F. columnare genetic diversity. To expand the dataset, an additional 90 16S rRNA gene sequences were retrieved from GenBank and a phylogenetic analysis of this larger dataset also supported the establishment of four genetic groups. Examination of isolate historical data indicated biological relevance to the identified genetic diversity, with some genetic groups isolated preferentially from specific fish species or families. It is proposed that F. columnare isolates be assigned to the four genetic groups defined in this study rather than genomovar in order to facilitate a standard nomenclature across the scientific community. An increased understanding of which genetic groups are most prevalent in different regions and/or aquaculture industries may allow for the development of improved targeted control and treatment measures for columnaris disease.

  4. Molecular epidemiology of Escherichia coli producing extended-spectrum {beta}-lactamases in Lugo (Spain): dissemination of clone O25b:H4-ST131 producing CTX-M-15.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blanco, Miguel; Alonso, Maria Pilar; Nicolas-Chanoine, Marie-Hélène; Dahbi, Ghizlane; Mora, Azucena; Blanco, Jesús E; López, Cecilia; Cortés, Pilar; Llagostera, Montserrat; Leflon-Guibout, Véronique; Puentes, Beatriz; Mamani, Rosalía; Herrera, Alexandra; Coira, María Amparo; García-Garrote, Fernando; Pita, Julia María; Blanco, Jorge

    2009-06-01

    Having shown that the Xeral-Calde Hospital in Lugo (Spain) has been concerned by Escherichia coli clone O25:H4-ST131 producing CTX-M-15 (Nicolas-Chanoine et al. J Antimicrob Chemother 2008; 61: 273-81), the present study was carried out to evaluate the prevalence of this clone among the extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli isolates and also to molecularly characterize the E. coli isolates producing ESBL other than CTX-M-15. In the first part of this study, 105 ESBL-producing E. coli isolates (February 2006 to March 2007) were characterized with regard to ESBL enzymes, serotypes, virulence genes, phylogenetic groups, multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and PFGE. In the second part of this study, 249 ESBL-producing E. coli isolates (April 2007 to May 2008) were investigated only for the detection of clone O25b:H4-ST131 producing CTX-M-15 using a triplex PCR developed in this study and based on the detection of the new operon afa FM955459 and the targets rfbO25b and 3' end of the bla(CTX-M-15) gene. Of the 105 ESBL-producing E. coli isolates, 60 (57.1%) were positive for CTX-M-14, 23 (21.9%) for CTX-M-15, 10 (9.5%) for SHV-12 and 7 (6.7%) for CTX-M-32. Serotypes, virulence genes, phylogenetic groups and molecular typing by PFGE demonstrated high homogeneity within those producing CTX-M-15 and high diversity within E. coli producing CTX-M-14 and other ESBLs. By PFGE, CTX-M-15-producing E. coli isolates O25b:H4 belonging to the phylogenetic group B2 and MLST profile ST131 were grouped in the same cluster. The epidemic strain of clone O25b:H4-ST131 represented 23.1%, 22.5% and 20.0% of all ESBL-producing E. coli isolated in 2006, 2007 and 2008, respectively. CTX-M-type ESBLs, primarily CTX-M-14 and CTX-M-15, have emerged as the predominant types of ESBL produced by E. coli isolates in Lugo. In view of the reported findings, long-term care facilities for elderly people may represent a significant reservoir for E. coli clone O25b:H4-ST131 producing CTX

  5. [Genetic diversity of extraintestinal Escherichia coli strains producers of beta-lactamases TEM, SHV and CTX-M associated with healthcare].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Varela, Yasmin; Millán, Beatriz; Araque, María

    2017-06-01

    There are few reports from Venezuela describing the genetic basis that sustains the pathogenic potential and phylogenetics of Escherichia coli extraintestinal strains isolated in health care units. To establish the genetic diversity of extraintestinal E. coli strains producers of betalactamases TEM, SHV and CTX-M associated with healthcare. We studied a collection of 12 strains of extraintestinal E. coli with diminished sensitivity to broad-spectrum cephalosporins. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by minimum inhibitory concentration. We determined the phylogenetic groups, virulence factors and genes encoding antimicrobial resistance using PCR, and clonal characterization by repetitive element palindromic-PCR rep-PCR. All strains showed resistance to cephalosporins and joint resistance to quinolones and aminoglycosides. The phylogenetic distribution showed that the A and B1 groups were the most frequent, followed by D and B2. We found all the virulence factors analyzed in the B2 group, and fimH gene was the most frequent among them. We found blaCTX-M in all strains,with a higher prevalence of blaCTX-M-8; two of these strains showed coproduction of blaCTX-M-9 and were genetically identified as blaCTXM-65 and blaCTX-M-147 by sequencing. The strains under study showed genetic diversity, hosting a variety of virulence genes, as well as antimicrobial resistance with no particular phylogroup prevalence. This is the first report of blaCTX-M alleles in Venezuela and in the world associated to non-genetically related strains isolated in health care units, a situation that deserves attention, as well as the rationalization of antimicrobials use.

  6. Molecular phylogenetics and character evolution of morphologically diverse groups, Dendrobium section Dendrobium and allies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takamiya, Tomoko; Wongsawad, Pheravut; Sathapattayanon, Apirada; Tajima, Natsuko; Suzuki, Shunichiro; Kitamura, Saki; Shioda, Nao; Handa, Takashi; Kitanaka, Susumu; Iijima, Hiroshi; Yukawa, Tomohisa

    2014-01-01

    It is always difficult to construct coherent classification systems for plant lineages having diverse morphological characters. The genus Dendrobium, one of the largest genera in the Orchidaceae, includes ∼1100 species, and enormous morphological diversification has hindered the establishment of consistent classification systems covering all major groups of this genus. Given the particular importance of species in Dendrobium section Dendrobium and allied groups as floriculture and crude drug genetic resources, there is an urgent need to establish a stable classification system. To clarify phylogenetic relationships in Dendrobium section Dendrobium and allied groups, we analysed the macromolecular characters of the group. Phylogenetic analyses of 210 taxa of Dendrobium were conducted on DNA sequences of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of 18S–26S nuclear ribosomal DNA and the maturase-coding gene (matK) located in an intron of the plastid gene trnK using maximum parsimony and Bayesian methods. The parsimony and Bayesian analyses revealed 13 distinct clades in the group comprising section Dendrobium and its allied groups. Results also showed paraphyly or polyphyly of sections Amblyanthus, Aporum, Breviflores, Calcarifera, Crumenata, Dendrobium, Densiflora, Distichophyllae, Dolichocentrum, Holochrysa, Oxyglossum and Pedilonum. On the other hand, the monophyly of section Stachyobium was well supported. It was found that many of the morphological characters that have been believed to reflect phylogenetic relationships are, in fact, the result of convergence. As such, many of the sections that have been recognized up to this point were found to not be monophyletic, so recircumscription of sections is required. PMID:25107672

  7. [A surveillance study on CRISPR/Cas molecular biomarker in Escherichia coli].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, W J; Zhang, R G; Duan, G C; Hong, L J; Zhang, B; Xi, Y L; Yang, H Y; Chen, S Y; Lou, T Y; Zhao, Y X

    2016-08-10

    A new method related to molecular biomarker with CRISPR/Cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-cas) in Escherichia (E.) coli was developed and used for surveillance programs. CRISPR/Cas sequence that containing 135 strains with complete sequence and 203 strains with whole genome shotgun sequence of E. coli in GenBank by BLAST and 361 strains of E. coli (including 38 strains of E. coli O157∶H7) in laboratory were identified by PCR and analyzed with the CRISPR Finder. Spacers were compared with DANMAN and the phylogenetic trees of cas gene were constructed under Clustal Ⅹ and Mega 5.1. With new perspective, a descriptive method was developed targeting on the position of CRISPR/cas in E. coli. The CRISPR1 was detected in 77.04%, 100.00% and 75.62% and the CRISPR2 was detected in 74.81%, 100.00% and 92.24% and the CRISPR3 and CRISPR4 were detected in 11.85%, 0 and 1.39% for 135 strains with complete sequence, 203 strains with whole genome shotgun sequence and 361 strains in the laboratory, respectively. One strain downloaded in GenBank with whole genome sequencing and 2 strains in the our laboratory were identified that containing four CRISPR locus. The other E. coli strain was with insertion sequence in downstream of the non-cas CRISPR1. The unique CRISPR was found in 8 strains of O55∶H7, in 180 strains of O157∶H7, in 8 strains of O157∶HNM, in 40 strains of O104∶H4, in 4 strains of O145∶H28, in all the 699 E. coli strains. The phylogenetic tree could be divided into two groups-cas with type I-E or type I-F. CRISPR/Cas might be used as a valuable molecular biomarker in epidemiological surveillance studies to identify the high virulent strains or new strains of E. coli. Phage night be related to the missing or obtaining of spacers.

  8. Phylogenic typing of Escherichia coli isolated from broilers with collibacillosis in Tabriz, North West of Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hassani, B.

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available In this study, to know about the phylogeny of Escherichia coli isolated from broilers with collibacillosis in Tabriz, 70 E. coli isolates recovered from broilers with collibacillosis were characterized for phylogenetic group (A, B1, B2, D by multiplex PCR. Of the all 70 samples, 35 (50% isolates were classified as type A, 32 (45% as type D, 2 (2.8% as type B1 and 1 (2.8% as type B2. This study demonstrates the high prevalence of E. coli types A and D in infected broilers. This shows that the collibacilosis-causing E. coli bacteria are typical commensals, type A alongside pathogenic type, D in Iran. It is possible that this type of E. coli could acquire virulence genes from pathogenic types. Of course, such a claim needs further study.

  9. Phylogenetic diversity and biodiversity indices on phylogenetic networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wicke, Kristina; Fischer, Mareike

    2018-04-01

    In biodiversity conservation it is often necessary to prioritize the species to conserve. Existing approaches to prioritization, e.g. the Fair Proportion Index and the Shapley Value, are based on phylogenetic trees and rank species according to their contribution to overall phylogenetic diversity. However, in many cases evolution is not treelike and thus, phylogenetic networks have been developed as a generalization of phylogenetic trees, allowing for the representation of non-treelike evolutionary events, such as hybridization. Here, we extend the concepts of phylogenetic diversity and phylogenetic diversity indices from phylogenetic trees to phylogenetic networks. On the one hand, we consider the treelike content of a phylogenetic network, e.g. the (multi)set of phylogenetic trees displayed by a network and the so-called lowest stable ancestor tree associated with it. On the other hand, we derive the phylogenetic diversity of subsets of taxa and biodiversity indices directly from the internal structure of the network. We consider both approaches that are independent of so-called inheritance probabilities as well as approaches that explicitly incorporate these probabilities. Furthermore, we introduce our software package NetDiversity, which is implemented in Perl and allows for the calculation of all generalized measures of phylogenetic diversity and generalized phylogenetic diversity indices established in this note that are independent of inheritance probabilities. We apply our methods to a phylogenetic network representing the evolutionary relationships among swordtails and platyfishes (Xiphophorus: Poeciliidae), a group of species characterized by widespread hybridization. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Taxonomic revision and molecular phylogenetics of the Idarnes incertus species-group (Hymenoptera, Agaonidae, Sycophaginae

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    Fernando H.A. Farache

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Sycophaginae is a group of non-pollinating fig wasps considered closely related to the fig pollinators (Agaoninae, Tetrapusiinae, and Kradibiinae in the most recent phylogenetic analyses. They occur in all tropical regions and are associated with Ficus subgenera Urostigma and Sycomorus. There are six described genera of Sycophaginae, and two are native and confined to the Neotropics, namely Idarnes Walker, 1843 and Anidarnes Bouček, 1993. Genus Idarnes is divided into three morphologically distinct groups that were proven to be monophyletic by recent molecular phylogenetic analyses. In this paper we reviewed the Idarnes incertus species-group and provide detailed morphological descriptions and illustrations for the species belonging to this group. Three previously described species were redescribed: I. brasiliensis (Mayr, 1906 comb. nov., I. hansoni Bouček, 1993, and I. incertus (Ashmead, 1900. Seventeen new species are described by Farache and Rasplus: I. amacayacuensis sp. n., I. amazonicus sp. n., I. americanae sp. n., I. badiovertex sp. n., I. brevis sp. n., I. brunneus sp. n., I. comptoni sp. n., I. cremersiae sp. n., I. dimorphicus sp. n., I. flavicrus sp. n., I. flaviventris sp. n., I. gibberosus sp. n., I. gordhi sp. n., I. maximus sp. n., I. nigriventris sp. n., I. pseudoflavus sp. n. and I. ramirezi sp. n. We provided keys for the identification of the species as well as for recognising the different species-groups of Idarnes and a closely related genus (Sycophaga Westwood, 1840. Additionally, phylogenetic relationships among 13 species of the I. incertus species-group were inferred using four molecular markers and discussed in the light of Ficus taxonomy and host specificity.

  11. Captive and free-living urban pigeons (Columba livia) from Brazil as carriers of multidrug-resistant pathogenic Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borges, Clarissa A; Maluta, Renato P; Beraldo, Lívia G; Cardozo, Marita V; Guastalli, Elisabete A L; Kariyawasam, Subhashinie; DebRoy, Chitrita; Ávila, Fernando A

    2017-01-01

    Thirty Escherichia coli isolates from captive and free-living pigeons in Brazil were characterised. Virulence-associated genes identified in pigeons included those which occur relatively frequently in avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) from commercial poultry worldwide. Eleven of 30 E. coli isolates from pigeons, belonging mainly to B1 and B2 phylogenetic groups, had high or intermediate pathogenicity for 1-day-old chicks. The frequency of multi-drug resistant (MDR) E. coli in captive pigeons was relatively high and included one isolate positive for the extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) gene bla CTX-M-8 . Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) showed high heterogeneity among isolates. There is potential for pigeons to transmit antibiotic resistant pathogenic E. coli to other species through environmental contamination or direct contact. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Occurrence and molecular characteristics of ESBL/AmpC-producing Escherichia coli in faecal samples from horses in an equine clinic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Apostolakos, Ilias; Franz, Eelco; van Hoek, Angela H A M; Florijn, Alice; Veenman, Christiaan; Sloet-van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan, Marianne M; Dierikx, Cindy; van Duijkeren, Engeline

    2017-07-01

    To investigate the occurrence and characteristics of ESBL/AmpC-producing Escherichia coli in faecal samples from horses at one equine clinic in the Netherlands. A total of 91 horses, including residents and patients, were sampled. ESBL/AmpC-producing E. coli were identified by a combination disc diffusion test. Phylogenetic groups and MLST were determined. ESBL/AmpC genes were analysed using PCR and sequencing. Plasmids were characterized by transformation and PCR-based replicon typing. Subtyping of plasmids was done by plasmid MLST. At least one E. coli isolate with a confirmed ESBL/AmpC gene was found in samples from 76 horses (84%). Although phylogenetic group B1 E. coli bla CTX-M-1 predominated, a diverse E. coli population was found, indicating that clonal nosocomial spread was not the only reason for the high occurrence found. MLST analysis revealed the presence of 47 E. coli STs, organized in four clusters of genetically related strains. ST10, ST641, ST1079 and ST1250 were most commonly found. With regard to the genes, bla CTX-M-1 was most prevalent ( n  =   91), followed by bla CTX-M-2 ( n  =   26). The most frequently found plasmid type was IncHI1, but plasmids belonging to the IncF, IncI1 and IncN groups were also identified. A high occurrence of ESBL-producing E. coli in faecal samples was found among horses in an equine clinic and the variety of STs, ESBL genes and plasmid types suggests nosocomial transmission. ESBL E. coli can cause difficult-to-treat infections in horses and prudent use of antimicrobials is warranted. A further assessment of the risks of transmission to persons in close contact with horses, such as caretakers or veterinarians, is crucial. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  13. ESBL-Producing Escherichia coli

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hertz, Frederik Boetius

    Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one the most common bacterial infections and is regularly treated in primary health care. The most common cause of UTI is extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) already present in the intestinal microflora, often as the dominating strain. Resistance...... in E.coli is increasing and especially isolates producing Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamases (ESBL) have been reported worldwide. Treatment of UTI is usually initiated by the general practitioners and a significant proportion of clinical isolates are now resistant to first line antibiotics. The global...... to investigate (i) antibiotics involved in selection of ESBL-producing E.coli, in an experimental mouse model in vivo, (ii) risk factors for UTI with ESBL-producing E.coli and (iii) to describe the phylogenetic composition of E.coli populations with different resistance patterns. We found that different...

  14. Host-range phylogenetic grouping of capripoxviruses. Genetic typing of CaPVs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Le Goff, C.; Chadeyras, A.; Libeau, G.; Albina, E.; Fakhfakh, E.; Hammami, S.; Elexpeter Aba Adulugba; Diallo, A.

    2005-01-01

    Because of their close relationship, specific identification of the CaPVs genus inside the Poxviridae family relies mainly on molecular tools rather than on classical serology. We describe the suitability of the G protein-coupled chemokine receptor (GPCR), for host range phylogenetic grouping. The analysis of 26 CaPVs shows 3 tight genetic clusters consisting of goatpox virus (GPV), lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), and sheeppox virus (SPV). (author)

  15. Degenerate primer MOB typing of multiresistant clinical isolates of E. coli uncovers new plasmid backbones.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcillán-Barcia, M Pilar; Ruiz del Castillo, Belén; Alvarado, Andrés; de la Cruz, Fernando; Martínez-Martínez, Luis

    2015-01-01

    Degenerate Primer MOB Typing is a PCR-based protocol for the classification of γ-proteobacterial transmissible plasmids in five phylogenetic relaxase MOB families. It was applied to a multiresistant E. coli collection, previously characterized by PCR-based replicon-typing, in order to compare both methods. Plasmids from 32 clinical isolates of multiresistant E. coli (19 extended spectrum beta-lactamase producers and 13 non producers) and their transconjugants were analyzed. A total of 95 relaxases were detected, at least one per isolate, underscoring the high potential of these strains for antibiotic-resistance transmission. MOBP12 and MOBF12 plasmids were the most abundant. Most MOB subfamilies detected were present in both subsets of the collection, indicating a shared mobilome among multiresistant E. coli. The plasmid profile obtained by both methods was compared, which provided useful data upon which decisions related to the implementation of detection methods in the clinic could be based. The phylogenetic depth at which replicon and MOB-typing classify plasmids is different. While replicon-typing aims at plasmid replication regions with non-degenerate primers, MOB-typing classifies plasmids into relaxase subfamilies using degenerate primers. As a result, MOB-typing provides a deeper phylogenetic depth than replicon-typing and new plasmid groups are uncovered. Significantly, MOB typing identified 17 plasmids and an integrative and conjugative element, which were not detected by replicon-typing. Four of these backbones were different from previously reported elements. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. CRISPR distribution within the Escherichia coli species is not suggestive of immunity-associated diversifying selection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Touchon, Marie; Charpentier, Sophie; Clermont, Olivier; Rocha, Eduardo P C; Denamur, Erick; Branger, Catherine

    2011-05-01

    In order to get further insights into the role of the clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) in Escherichia coli, we analyzed the CRISPR diversity in a collection of 290 strains, in the phylogenetic framework of the strains represented by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The set included 263 natural E. coli isolates exposed to various environments and isolated over a 20-year period from humans and animals, as well as 27 fully sequenced strains. Our analyses confirm that there are two largely independent pairs of CRISPR loci (CRISPR1 and -2 and CRISPR3 and -4), each associated with a different type of cas genes (Ecoli and Ypest, respectively), but that each pair of CRISPRs has similar dynamics. Strikingly, the major phylogenetic group B2 is almost devoid of CRISPRs. The majority of genomes analyzed lack Ypest cas genes and contain CRISPR3 with spacers matching Ypest cas genes. The analysis of relatedness between strains in terms of spacer repertoire and the MLST tree shows a pattern where closely related strains (MLST phylogenetic distance of 0.01) exhibit completely different CRISPRs. This suggests rare but radical turnover of spacers in CRISPRs rather than CRISPR gradual change. We found no link between the presence, size, or content of CRISPRs and the lifestyle of the strains. Our data suggest that, within the E. coli species, CRISPRs do not have the expected characteristics of a classical immune system.

  17. The distribution of beta lactamase genes in Escherichia coli phylotypes isolated from diarrhea and UTI cases in northwest Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hemati, Zahra; Ghanbarpour, Reza; Alizade, Hesam

    2014-01-01

    Pathogenic Escherichia coli strains are a common cause of intestinal and extra-intestinal infections, especially in developing countries. Extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLS), a heterogeneous group of plasmid-encoded beta-lactamases, are common throughout the world. The aim of the present study was to determine the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of ESBLS produced by E. coli isolates taken from patients with diarrhea and urinary tract infections (UTI) in northwest Iran. A total of 132 E. coli isolates (92 isolates from UTI and 40 isolates from diarrheic cases) were recovered and confirmed by biochemical tests. The isolates were examined for blaTEM and blaSHV genes and phylogenetic background by two multiplex PCR assays. The isolates were tested for antibiotic susceptibility against nine antibiotic agents by the disk diffusion method. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the UTI isolates mostly fell into phylo-group B2, followed by D, while the diarrheic isolates belonged to phylo-groups D and A. Out of 92 UTI isolates, 29.3% and 17.4% possessed blaTEM and blaSHV genes, respectively. Ten diarrheic isolates were positive for blaTEM, two isolates possessed the blaSHV gene, and one isolate was positive for both genes. The UTI isolates that were positive for blaTEM and blaSHV genes mostly belonged to phylo-groups D and B2, whereas the diarrhea isolates were in phylo-groups D and A. Phylogenetic group D isolates have an accumulation of ESBLS genes in the diarrheic and UTI isolates. In both the UTI and diarrhea isolates, the maximum rate of resistance was against cefazolin, and the minimum rate of resistance was against nitrofurantoin. Twenty-four antibiotic resistance patterns were observed among the isolates. The amikacin, ciprofloxacin, cefotaxime, cefuroxime, cefazolin, gentamicin, nalidixic acid and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole resistance pattern was the most prevalent in the isolates that belonged to phylo-group D. The correct choice of effective

  18. Escherichia coli clonal group A causing bacteraemia of urinary tract origin

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skjøt-Rasmussen, L; Olsen, S S; Jakobsen, L

    2013-01-01

    a distinctive VAG profile. The blood and urine isolates from each pair were found to be related in 26 of 27 CgA blood/urine pairs, confirming a urinary tract origin of infection. Furthermore, a relationship between the PFGE patterns of CgA blood/urine isolates and CgA isolates from UTI patients in general...... extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli. A reservoir of this pathogenic E. coli group in the community causing not only UTI but also more severe infections such as bacteraemia has implications for public health....

  19. How to find soluble proteins: a comprehensive analysis of alpha/beta hydrolases for recombinant expression in E. coli

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barth Sandra

    2005-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In screening of libraries derived by expression cloning, expression of active proteins in E. coli can be limited by formation of inclusion bodies. In these cases it would be desirable to enrich gene libraries for coding sequences with soluble gene products in E. coli and thus to improve the efficiency of screening. Previously Wilkinson and Harrison showed that solubility can be predicted from amino acid composition (Biotechnology 1991, 9(5:443–448. We have applied this analysis to members of the alpha/beta hydrolase fold family to predict their solubility in E. coli. alpha/beta hydrolases are a highly diverse family with more than 1800 proteins which have been grouped into homologous families and superfamilies. Results The predicted solubility in E. coli depends on hydrolase size, phylogenetic origin of the host organism, the homologous family and the superfamily, to which the hydrolase belongs. In general small hydrolases are predicted to be more soluble than large hydrolases, and eukaryotic hydrolases are predicted to be less soluble in E. coli than prokaryotic ones. However, combining phylogenetic origin and size leads to more complex conclusions. Hydrolases from prokaryotic, fungal and metazoan origin are predicted to be most soluble if they are of small, medium and large size, respectively. We observed large variations of predicted solubility between hydrolases from different homologous families and from different taxa. Conclusion A comprehensive analysis of all alpha/beta hydrolase sequences allows more efficient screenings for new soluble alpha/beta hydrolases by the use of libraries which contain more soluble gene products. Screening of hydrolases from families whose members are hard to express as soluble proteins in E. coli should first be done in coding sequences of organisms from phylogenetic groups with the highest average of predicted solubility for proteins of this family. The tools developed here can be used

  20. Uropathogenic Escherichia coli pathogenicity islands and other ExPEC virulence genes may contribute to the genome variability of enteroinvasive E. coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    da Silva, Laís Cristina; de Mello Santos, Ana Carolina; Silva, Rosa Maria

    2017-03-16

    Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC) may be the causative agent of part of those million cases of diarrhea illness reported worldwide every year and attributable to Shigella. That is because both enteropathogens have many common characteristics that difficult their identification either by traditional microbiological methods or by molecular tools used in the clinical laboratory settings. While Shigella has been extensively studied, EIEC remains barely characterized at the molecular level. Recent EIEC important outbreaks, apparently generating more life-threatening cases, have prompted us to screen EIEC for virulence traits usually related to extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC). That could explain the appearance of EIEC strains presenting higher virulence potential. EIEC strains were distributed mainly in three phylogroups in a serogroup-dependent manner. Serogroups O124, O136, O144, and O152 were exclusively classified in phylogroup A; O143 in group E; and O28ac and O29 in group B1. Only two serogroups showed diverse phylogenetic origin as follows: O164 was assigned to groups A, B1, C, and B2 (one strain each), and O167 in groups E (five strains), and A (one strain) (Table 1). Eleven of 20 virulence genes (VGs) searched were detected, and the majority of the 19 different VGs combinations found were serogroup-specific. Uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) PAI genetic markers were detected in all EIEC strains. PAIs I J96 and II CFT073 were the most frequent (92.1 and 80.4%, respectively). PAI IV 536 was restricted to some serogroups from phylogroups A, B1 and E. PAI I CFT073 was uniquely detected in phylogroups B2 and E. A total of 45 (88%) strains presented multiple PAI markers (two to four). PAIs I J96 and II CFT073 were found together in 80% of strains. EIEC is a DEC pathovar that presents VGs and pathogenicity island genetic markers typically associated with ExPEC, especially UPEC. These features are distributed in a phylogenetic and serogroup-dependent manner

  1. Conjugative IncFI plasmids carrying CTX-M-15 among Escherichia coli ESBL producing isolates at a University hospital in Germany

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hain Torsten

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Multi-drug-resistant, extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, constitute an emerging public-health concern. Little data on the molecular epidemiology of ESBL producing Escherichia coli is available in Germany. Here we describe the prevalence and molecular epidemiology of ESBL producing-Escherichia coli isolates at a German University hospital. Methods We analysed 63 non-duplicate clinical ESBL isolates obtained over an 8-month period using PCR and sequence-based ESBL allele typing, plasmid replicon typing, phylogenetic group typing. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE based genotyping and plasmid profiling was performed, as well as confirmatory DNA-based hybridization assays. Results Examination of the 63 Escherichia coli isolates revealed an almost equal distribution among the E. coli phylogenetic groups A, B1, B2 and D. High prevalence (36/63 of the CTX-M-15 gene was observed and an analysis of PFGE-based patterns revealed the presence of this CTX-M allele in multiple clones. Resistance to cefotaxime was a transferable trait and a commonly occurring 145.5 kb conjugative IncFI plasmid was detected in 65% of E. coli carrying the CTX-M-15 allele. The rate of transferable antibiotic resistances for GM, SXT, TET, GM-SXT-TET, SXT-TET and GM-TET was 33%, 61%, 61%, 27%, 44% and 11%, respectively. The remaining strains did not have a common IncFI plasmid but harboured transferable IncFI plasmids with sizes that ranged from 97 to 242.5 kb. Conclusion Our data demonstrate the presence of IncFI plasmids within the prevailing E. coli population in a hospital setting and suggest that the dissemination of CTX-M-15 allele is associated to lateral transfer of these well-adapted, conjugative IncFI plasmids among various E. coli genotypes.

  2. Prevalence of Virulent Escherichia coli Belonging B1 Phylogroup in Municipal Water Supply in Dhaka, Bangladesh

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ferdous, Jannataul; Rashid, Ridwan Bin; Tulsiani, Suhella

    isolated from drinking water in Arichpur, a low income area of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The distribution of the phylogroups and virulence genes were investigated in 200 isolates among them 110 isolates were from municipal water supply system and 90 were from household drinking water. Gene profile of virulence.......001. Therefore, it can be inferred municipal water supply was a greater contributor of pathogenic E. coli from the B1 phylogroup. Usually commensals fall in the Phylogroups A and B1. The presence of greater number of virulent B1 phylogroup isolates originating from municipal water supply indicates......Escherichia coli is a commensal organism of the digestive tracts of many vertebrates, including humans. Contamination of drinking water with pathogenic E. coli is a serious public health concern. This study focused on the distribution of phylogenetic groups and virulence gene profile of E. coli...

  3. Pathogenic Escherichia coli producing Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamases isolated from surface water and wastewater.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Franz, Eelco; Veenman, Christiaan; van Hoek, Angela H A M; de Roda Husman, Ana; Blaak, Hetty

    2015-09-24

    To assess public health risks from environmental exposure to Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamases (ESBL)-producing bacteria, it is necessary to have insight in the proportion of relative harmless commensal variants and potentially pathogenic ones (which may directly cause disease). In the current study, 170 ESBL-producing E. coli from Dutch wastewater (n = 82) and surface water (n = 88) were characterized with respect to ESBL-genotype, phylogenetic group, resistance phenotype and virulence markers associated with enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC), enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), extraintesinal E. coli (ExPEC), and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Overall, 17.1% of all ESBL-producing E. coli were suspected pathogenic variants. Suspected ExPECs constituted 8.8% of all ESBL-producing variants and 8.3% were potential gastrointestinal pathogens (4.1% EAEC, 1.8% EPEC, 1.2% EIEC, 1.2% ETEC, no STEC). Suspected pathogens were significantly associated with ESBL-genotype CTX-M-15 (X(2) = 14.7, P antibiotics. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the aquatic environment is a potential reservoir of E. coli variants that combine ESBL-genes, a high level of multi-drug resistance and virulence factors, and therewith pose a health risk to humans upon exposure.

  4. Prevalence of virulence determinants and antimicrobial resistance among commensal Escherichia coli derived from dairy and beef cattle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bok, Ewa; Mazurek, Justyna; Stosik, Michał; Wojciech, Magdalena; Baldy-Chudzik, Katarzyna

    2015-01-19

    Cattle is a reservoir of potentially pathogenic E. coli, bacteria that can represent a significant threat to public health, hence it is crucial to monitor the prevalence of the genetic determinants of virulence and antimicrobial resistance among the E. coli population. The aim of this study was the analysis of the phylogenetic structure, distribution of virulence factors (VFs) and prevalence of antimicrobial resistance among E. coli isolated from two groups of healthy cattle: 50 cows housed in the conventional barn (147 isolates) and 42 cows living on the ecological pasture (118 isolates). The phylogenetic analysis, identification of VFs and antimicrobial resistance genes were based on either multiplex or simplex PCR. The antimicrobial susceptibilities of E. coli were examined using the broth microdilution method. Two statistical approaches were used to analyse the results obtained for two groups of cattle. The relations between the dependent (VFs profiles, antibiotics) and the independent variables were described using the two models. The mixed logit model was used to characterise the prevalence of the analysed factors in the sets of isolates. The univariate logistic regression model was used to characterise the prevalence of these factors in particular animals. Given each model, the odds ratio (OR) and the 95% confidence interval for the population were estimated. The phylogroup B1 was predominant among isolates from beef cattle, while the phylogroups A, B1 and D occurred with equal frequency among isolates from dairy cattle. The frequency of VFs-positive isolates was significantly higher among isolates from beef cattle. E. coli from dairy cattle revealed significantly higher resistance to antibiotics. Some of the tested resistance genes were present among isolates from dairy cattle. Our study showed that the habitat and diet may affect the genetic diversity of commensal E. coli in the cattle. The results suggest that the ecological pasture habitat is related to

  5. Phylogenetic comparative methods on phylogenetic networks with reticulations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bastide, Paul; Solís-Lemus, Claudia; Kriebel, Ricardo; Sparks, K William; Ané, Cécile

    2018-04-25

    The goal of Phylogenetic Comparative Methods (PCMs) is to study the distribution of quantitative traits among related species. The observed traits are often seen as the result of a Brownian Motion (BM) along the branches of a phylogenetic tree. Reticulation events such as hybridization, gene flow or horizontal gene transfer, can substantially affect a species' traits, but are not modeled by a tree. Phylogenetic networks have been designed to represent reticulate evolution. As they become available for downstream analyses, new models of trait evolution are needed, applicable to networks. One natural extension of the BM is to use a weighted average model for the trait of a hybrid, at a reticulation point. We develop here an efficient recursive algorithm to compute the phylogenetic variance matrix of a trait on a network, in only one preorder traversal of the network. We then extend the standard PCM tools to this new framework, including phylogenetic regression with covariates (or phylogenetic ANOVA), ancestral trait reconstruction, and Pagel's λ test of phylogenetic signal. The trait of a hybrid is sometimes outside of the range of its two parents, for instance because of hybrid vigor or hybrid depression. These two phenomena are rather commonly observed in present-day hybrids. Transgressive evolution can be modeled as a shift in the trait value following a reticulation point. We develop a general framework to handle such shifts, and take advantage of the phylogenetic regression view of the problem to design statistical tests for ancestral transgressive evolution in the evolutionary history of a group of species. We study the power of these tests in several scenarios, and show that recent events have indeed the strongest impact on the trait distribution of present-day taxa. We apply those methods to a dataset of Xiphophorus fishes, to confirm and complete previous analysis in this group. All the methods developed here are available in the Julia package PhyloNetworks.

  6. Whole-genome comparison of urinary pathogenic Escherichia coli and faecal isolates of UTI patients and healthy controls

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Karen Leth; Stegger, Marc; Kiil, Kristoffer

    2017-01-01

    The faecal flora is a common reservoir for urinary tract infection (UTI), and Escherichia coli (E. coli) is frequently found in this reservoir without causing extraintestinal infection. We investigated these E. coli reservoirs by whole-genome sequencing a large collection of E. coli from healthy...... controls (faecal), who had never previously had UTI, and from UTI patients (faecal and urinary) sampled from the same geographical area. We compared MLST types, phylogenetic relationship, accessory genome content and FimH type between patient and control faecal isolates as well as between UTI and faecal......-only isolates, respectively. Comparison of the accessory genome of UTI isolates to faecal isolates revealed 35 gene families which were significantly more prevalent in the UTI isolates compared to the faecal isolates, although none of these were unique to one of the two groups. Of these 35, 22 belonged...

  7. CRISPR Distribution within the Escherichia coli Species Is Not Suggestive of Immunity-Associated Diversifying Selection ▿ †

    Science.gov (United States)

    Touchon, Marie; Charpentier, Sophie; Clermont, Olivier; Rocha, Eduardo P. C.; Denamur, Erick; Branger, Catherine

    2011-01-01

    In order to get further insights into the role of the clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) in Escherichia coli, we analyzed the CRISPR diversity in a collection of 290 strains, in the phylogenetic framework of the strains represented by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The set included 263 natural E. coli isolates exposed to various environments and isolated over a 20-year period from humans and animals, as well as 27 fully sequenced strains. Our analyses confirm that there are two largely independent pairs of CRISPR loci (CRISPR1 and -2 and CRISPR3 and -4), each associated with a different type of cas genes (Ecoli and Ypest, respectively), but that each pair of CRISPRs has similar dynamics. Strikingly, the major phylogenetic group B2 is almost devoid of CRISPRs. The majority of genomes analyzed lack Ypest cas genes and contain CRISPR3 with spacers matching Ypest cas genes. The analysis of relatedness between strains in terms of spacer repertoire and the MLST tree shows a pattern where closely related strains (MLST phylogenetic distance of 0.01) exhibit completely different CRISPRs. This suggests rare but radical turnover of spacers in CRISPRs rather than CRISPR gradual change. We found no link between the presence, size, or content of CRISPRs and the lifestyle of the strains. Our data suggest that, within the E. coli species, CRISPRs do not have the expected characteristics of a classical immune system. PMID:21421763

  8. Effects of intramuscularly administered enrofloxacin on the susceptibility of commensal intestinal Escherichia coli in pigs (sus scrofa domestica).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Römer, Antje; Scherz, Gesine; Reupke, Saskia; Meißner, Jessica; Wallmann, Jürgen; Kietzmann, Manfred; Kaspar, Heike

    2017-12-04

    In the European Union, various fluoroquinolones are authorised for the treatment of food producing animals. Each administration poses an increased risk of development and spread of antimicrobial resistance. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of parenteral administration of enrofloxacin on the prevalence of enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin susceptibilities in the commensal intestinal E. coli population. E. coli isolates from faeces of twelve healthy pigs were included. Six pigs were administered enrofloxacin on day 1 to 3 and after two weeks for further three days. The other pigs formed the control group. MIC values were determined. Virulence and resistance genes were detected by PCR. Phylogenetic grouping was performed by PCR. Enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin were analysed in sedimentation samples by HPLC. Susceptibility shifts in commensal E. coli isolates were determined in both groups. Non-wildtype E. coli could be cultivated from two animals of the experimental group for the first time one week after the first administration and from one animal of the control group on day 28. The environmental load with enrofloxacin in sedimentation samples showed the highest amount between days one and five. The repeated parenteral administration of enrofloxacin to pigs resulted in rapidly increased MIC values (day 28: MIC up to 4 mg/L, day 35: MIC ≥ 32mg/L). E. coli populations of the control group in the same stable without direct contact to the experimental group were affected. The parenteral administration of enrofloxacin to piglets considerably reduced the number of the susceptible intestinal E. coli population which was replaced by E. coli strains with increased MIC values against enrofloxacin. Subsequently also pigs of the control were affected suggesting a transferability of strains from the experimental group through the environment to the control group especially as we could isolate the same PFGE strains from both pig groups and the environment.

  9. Whole-genome phylogeny of Escherichia coli/Shigella group by feature frequency profiles (FFPs)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sims, Gregory E.; Kim, Sung-Hou

    2011-01-01

    A whole-genome phylogeny of the Escherichia coli/Shigella group was constructed by using the feature frequency profile (FFP) method. This alignment-free approach uses the frequencies of l-mer features of whole genomes to infer phylogenic distances. We present two phylogenies that accentuate different aspects of E. coli/Shigella genomic evolution: (i) one based on the compositions of all possible features of length l = 24 (∼8.4 million features), which are likely to reveal the phenetic grouping and relationship among the organisms and (ii) the other based on the compositions of core features with low frequency and low variability (∼0.56 million features), which account for ∼69% of all commonly shared features among 38 taxa examined and are likely to have genome-wide lineal evolutionary signal. Shigella appears as a single clade when all possible features are used without filtering of noncore features. However, results using core features show that Shigella consists of at least two distantly related subclades, implying that the subclades evolved into a single clade because of a high degree of convergence influenced by mobile genetic elements and niche adaptation. In both FFP trees, the basal group of the E. coli/Shigella phylogeny is the B2 phylogroup, which contains primarily uropathogenic strains, suggesting that the E. coli/Shigella ancestor was likely a facultative or opportunistic pathogen. The extant commensal strains diverged relatively late and appear to be the result of reductive evolution of genomes. We also identify clade distinguishing features and their associated genomic regions within each phylogroup. Such features may provide useful information for understanding evolution of the groups and for quick diagnostic identification of each phylogroup. PMID:21536867

  10. Incompletely resolved phylogenetic trees inflate estimates of phylogenetic conservatism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davies, T Jonathan; Kraft, Nathan J B; Salamin, Nicolas; Wolkovich, Elizabeth M

    2012-02-01

    The tendency for more closely related species to share similar traits and ecological strategies can be explained by their longer shared evolutionary histories and represents phylogenetic conservatism. How strongly species traits co-vary with phylogeny can significantly impact how we analyze cross-species data and can influence our interpretation of assembly rules in the rapidly expanding field of community phylogenetics. Phylogenetic conservatism is typically quantified by analyzing the distribution of species values on the phylogenetic tree that connects them. Many phylogenetic approaches, however, assume a completely sampled phylogeny: while we have good estimates of deeper phylogenetic relationships for many species-rich groups, such as birds and flowering plants, we often lack information on more recent interspecific relationships (i.e., within a genus). A common solution has been to represent these relationships as polytomies on trees using taxonomy as a guide. Here we show that such trees can dramatically inflate estimates of phylogenetic conservatism quantified using S. P. Blomberg et al.'s K statistic. Using simulations, we show that even randomly generated traits can appear to be phylogenetically conserved on poorly resolved trees. We provide a simple rarefaction-based solution that can reliably retrieve unbiased estimates of K, and we illustrate our method using data on first flowering times from Thoreau's woods (Concord, Massachusetts, USA).

  11. Phylogenetic characterization of the ubiquitous electron transfer flavoprotein families ETF-alpha and ETF-beta.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsai, M H; Saier, M H

    1995-06-01

    Electron transfer flavoproteins (ETF) are alpha beta-heterodimers found in eukaryotic mitochondria and bacteria. We have identified currently sequenced protein members of the ETF-alpha and ETF-beta families. Members of these two families include (a) the ETF subunits of mammals and bacteria, (b) homologous pairs of proteins (FixB/FixA) that are essential for nitrogen fixation in some bacteria, and (c) a pair of carnitine-inducible proteins encoded by two open reading frames in Escherichia coli (YaaQ and YaaR). These three groups of proteins comprise three clusters on both the ETF-alpha and ETF-beta phylogenetic trees, separated from each other by comparable phylogenetic distances. This fact suggests that these two protein families evolved with similar overall rates of evolutionary divergence. Relative regions of sequence conservation are evaluated, and signature sequences for both families are derived.

  12. Clustered, regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) diversity and virulence factor distribution in avian Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Qiang; Su, Zhixin; Cheng, Yuqiang; Wang, Zhaofei; Li, Shiyu; Wang, Heng'an; Sun, Jianhe; Yan, Yaxian

    In order to investigate the diverse characteristics of clustered, regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) arrays and the distribution of virulence factor genes in avian Escherichia coli, 80 E. coli isolates obtained from chickens with avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) or avian fecal commensal E. coli (AFEC) were identified. Using the multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR), five genes were subjected to phylogenetic typing and examined for CRISPR arrays to study genetic relatedness among the strains. The strains were further analyzed for CRISPR loci and virulence factor genes to determine a possible association between their CRISPR elements and their potential virulence. The strains were divided into five phylogenetic groups: A, B1, B2, D and E. It was confirmed that two types of CRISPR arrays, CRISPR1 and CRISPR2, which contain up to 246 distinct spacers, were amplified in most of the strains. Further classification of the isolates was achieved by sorting them into nine CRISPR clusters based on their spacer profiles, which indicates a candidate typing method for E. coli. Several significant differences in invasion-associated gene distribution were found between the APEC isolates and the AFEC isolates. Our results identified the distribution of 11 virulence genes and CRISPR diversity in 80 strains. It was demonstrated that, with the exception of iucD and aslA, there was no sharp demarcation in the gene distribution between the pathogenic (APEC) and commensal (AFEC) strains, while the total number of indicated CRISPR spacers may have a positive correlation with the potential pathogenicity of the E. coli isolates. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  13. Molecular characterization and antimicrobial resistance of faecal and urinary Escherichia coli isolated from dogs and humans in Italy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Clara Tramuta

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available During this study, 109 faecal Escherichia coli samples isolated from 61 dogs and 48 humans were characterised according to phylogenetic group, extraintestinal virulence factors and antibiotic resistance. The isolates from dogs were predominantly distributed within phylogroup B1 (36%, while the majority of human strains belonged to phylogroup B2 (54%. The prevalence of cnf1, hlyA, papC and sfa virulence genes was significantly associated with the group B2. Canine isolates showed multidrug resistance (MDR more frequently than human strains. Since group B2 contains most of the strains that cause extraintestinal infections, all 46 B2 faecal strains were confronted against an addition population of 57 urinary E. coli strains belonging to the same phylogroup. The comparison shows that there was no significant difference in the occurrence of virulence factors or in the distribution of antibiotic resistance between faecal and urinary E. coli isolates fromd dogs. At the same time, a highly significant association was detected between multiple resistence and the source of the strains and between MDR and E. coli isolated from urine in human. This study highlighted similar features of E. coli isolated across sources and hosts. The data suggest a high prevalence of antibiotic resistance in faecal strains, which may represent a serious health risk since these strains can function as a reservoir for uropathogenic E. coli.

  14. Comparative Genomics and Characterization of Hybrid Shigatoxigenic and Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC/ETEC) Strains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nyholm, Outi; Halkilahti, Jani; Wiklund, Gudrun; Okeke, Uche; Paulin, Lars; Auvinen, Petri; Haukka, Kaisa; Siitonen, Anja

    2015-01-01

    Shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) and enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) cause serious foodborne infections in humans. These two pathogroups are defined based on the pathogroup-associated virulence genes: stx encoding Shiga toxin (Stx) for STEC and elt encoding heat-labile and/or est encoding heat-stable enterotoxin (ST) for ETEC. The study investigated the genomics of STEC/ETEC hybrid strains to determine their phylogenetic position among E. coli and to define the virulence genes they harbor. The whole genomes of three STEC/ETEC strains possessing both stx and est genes were sequenced using PacBio RS sequencer. Two of the strains were isolated from the patients, one with hemolytic uremic syndrome, and one with diarrhea. The third strain was of bovine origin. Core genome analysis of the shared chromosomal genes and comparison with E. coli and Shigella spp. reference genomes was performed to determine the phylogenetic position of the STEC/ETEC strains. In addition, a set of virulence genes and ETEC colonization factors were extracted from the genomes. The production of Stx and ST were studied. The human STEC/ETEC strains clustered with strains representing ETEC, STEC, enteroaggregative E. coli, and commensal and laboratory-adapted E. coli. However, the bovine STEC/ETEC strain formed a remote cluster with two STECs of bovine origin. All three STEC/ETEC strains harbored several other virulence genes, apart from stx and est, and lacked ETEC colonization factors. Two STEC/ETEC strains produced both toxins and one strain Stx only. This study shows that pathogroup-associated virulence genes of different E. coli can co-exist in strains originating from different phylogenetic lineages. The possibility of virulence genes to be associated with several E. coli pathogroups should be taken into account in strain typing and in epidemiological surveillance. Development of novel hybrid E. coli strains may cause a new public health risk, which challenges the traditional diagnostics

  15. Comparative Genomics and Characterization of Hybrid Shigatoxigenic and Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC/ETEC Strains.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Outi Nyholm

    Full Text Available Shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC and enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC cause serious foodborne infections in humans. These two pathogroups are defined based on the pathogroup-associated virulence genes: stx encoding Shiga toxin (Stx for STEC and elt encoding heat-labile and/or est encoding heat-stable enterotoxin (ST for ETEC. The study investigated the genomics of STEC/ETEC hybrid strains to determine their phylogenetic position among E. coli and to define the virulence genes they harbor.The whole genomes of three STEC/ETEC strains possessing both stx and est genes were sequenced using PacBio RS sequencer. Two of the strains were isolated from the patients, one with hemolytic uremic syndrome, and one with diarrhea. The third strain was of bovine origin. Core genome analysis of the shared chromosomal genes and comparison with E. coli and Shigella spp. reference genomes was performed to determine the phylogenetic position of the STEC/ETEC strains. In addition, a set of virulence genes and ETEC colonization factors were extracted from the genomes. The production of Stx and ST were studied.The human STEC/ETEC strains clustered with strains representing ETEC, STEC, enteroaggregative E. coli, and commensal and laboratory-adapted E. coli. However, the bovine STEC/ETEC strain formed a remote cluster with two STECs of bovine origin. All three STEC/ETEC strains harbored several other virulence genes, apart from stx and est, and lacked ETEC colonization factors. Two STEC/ETEC strains produced both toxins and one strain Stx only.This study shows that pathogroup-associated virulence genes of different E. coli can co-exist in strains originating from different phylogenetic lineages. The possibility of virulence genes to be associated with several E. coli pathogroups should be taken into account in strain typing and in epidemiological surveillance. Development of novel hybrid E. coli strains may cause a new public health risk, which challenges the

  16. Escherichia coli type III secretion system 2 (ETT2) is widely distributed in avian pathogenic Escherichia coli isolates from Eastern China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, S; Liu, X; Xu, X; Zhao, Y; Yang, D; Han, X; Tian, M; Ding, C; Peng, D; Yu, S

    2016-10-01

    Pathogens utilize type III secretion systems to deliver effector proteins, which facilitate bacterial infections. The Escherichia coli type III secretion system 2 (ETT2) which plays a crucial role in bacterial virulence, is present in the majority of E. coli strains, although ETT2 has undergone widespread mutational attrition. We investigated the distribution and characteristics of ETT2 in avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) isolates and identified five different ETT2 isoforms, including intact ETT2, in 57·6% (141/245) of the isolates. The ETT2 locus was present in the predominant APEC serotypes O78, O2 and O1. All of the ETT2 loci in the serotype O78 isolates were degenerate, whereas an intact ETT2 locus was mostly present in O1 and O2 serotype strains, which belong to phylogenetic groups B2 and D, respectively. Interestingly, a putative second type III secretion-associated locus (eip locus) was present only in the isolates with an intact ETT2. Moreover, ETT2 was more widely distributed in APEC isolates and exhibited more isoforms compared to ETT2 in human extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli, suggesting that APEC might be a potential risk to human health. However, there was no distinct correlation between ETT2 and other virulence factors in APEC.

  17. Comparison of Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli Isolates from Drinking Well Water and Pit Latrine Wastewater in a Rural Area of China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hongna Zhang

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The present study was conducted to gain insights into the occurrence and characteristics of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase- (ESBL- producing Escherichia coli (E. coli from drinking well water in the rural area of Laiwu, China, and to explore the role of the nearby pit latrine as a contamination source. ESBL-producing E. coli from wells were compared with isolates from pit latrines in the vicinity. The results showed that ESBL-producing E. coli isolates, with the same antibiotic resistance profiles, ESBL genes, phylogenetic group, plasmid replicon types, and enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-polymerase chain reaction (ERIC-PCR fingerprints, were isolated from well water and the nearby pit latrine in the same courtyard. Therefore, ESBL-producing E. coli in the pit latrine may be a likely contributor to the presence of ESBL-producing E. coli in rural well water.

  18. The Intriguing Evolutionary Journey of Enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) toward Pathogenicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pasqua, Martina; Michelacci, Valeria; Di Martino, Maria Letizia; Tozzoli, Rosangela; Grossi, Milena; Colonna, Bianca; Morabito, Stefano; Prosseda, Gianni

    2017-01-01

    Among the intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli , enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) are a group of intracellular pathogens able to enter epithelial cells of colon, multiplicate within them, and move between adjacent cells with a mechanism similar to Shigella , the ethiological agent of bacillary dysentery. Despite EIEC belong to the same pathotype of Shigella , they neither have the full set of traits that define Shigella nor have undergone the extensive gene decay observed in Shigella . Molecular analysis confirms that EIEC are widely distributed among E. coli phylogenetic groups and correspond to bioserotypes found in many E. coli serogroups. Like Shigella , also in EIEC the critical event toward a pathogenic life-style consisted in the acquisition by horizontal gene transfer of a large F-type plasmid (pINV) containing the genes required for invasion, intracellular survival, and spreading through the intestinal mucosa. In Shigella , the ample gain in virulence determinants has been counteracted by a substantial loss of functions that, although important for the survival in the environment, are redundant or deleterious for the life inside the host. The pathoadaptation process that has led Shigella to modify its metabolic profile and increase its pathogenic potential is still in infancy in EIEC, although maintenance of some features typical of E. coli might favor their emerging relevance as intestinal pathogens worldwide, as documented by recent outbreaks in industrialized countries. In this review, we will discuss the evolution of EIEC toward Shigella -like invasive forms going through the epidemiology, including the emergence of new virulent strains, their genome organization, and the complex interactions they establish with the host.

  19. Experimental mouse lethality of Escherichia coli strains isolated from free ranging Tibetan yaks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rehman, Mujeeb Ur; Zhang, Hui; Wang, Yajing; Mehmood, Khalid; Huang, Shucheng; Iqbal, Muhammad Kashif; Li, Jiakui

    2017-08-01

    The present study has examined the virulence potential of Escherichia coli isolates harboring at least one virulence gene (associated with ExPEC or InPEC pathotype and belonging to different phylogenetic groups: A, B1, B2 or D), isolated from free ranging Tibetan yak feces. The E. coli isolates (n = 87) were characterized for different serogroups and a mouse model of subcutaneous-infection was used to envisage the virulence within these E. coli strains. Of the 87 E. coli isolates examined, 23% of the E. coli isolates caused lethal infections in a mouse model of subcutaneous infection and were classified as killer. Moreover, the majority of the killer strains belonged to phylogroup A (65%) and serogroup O 60 or O 101 (35%). Phylogroup B1, serogroups O 60 and O 101 were statistically associated with the killer status (P 1) were observed between the killer status isolates and all other bacterial virulence traits. This study comprises the first report on the virulence potential of E. coli strains isolated from free-ranging Tibetan yaks feces. Our findings suggest that pathogenic E. coli of free ranging yaks is highly worrisome, as these feces are used as manures by farmers and therewith pose a health risk to humans upon exposure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Virulence factors and phylogenetic grouping of Escherichia coli isolates from patients with bacteraemia of urinary tract origin relate to sex and hospital- vs. community-acquired origin

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skjøt-Rasmussen, Line; Ejrnæs, Karen; Lundgren, Bettina

    2012-01-01

    Worldwide, Escherichia coli is a leading cause of bloodstream infections. Bacteraemia cases in both community- and hospital-acquired infections are often due to E. coli, and it is a major cause of mortality from these infections. These invasive infections are primarily due to extraintestinal path...

  1. Phylogenetic relationship among East Asian species of the Stegana genus group (Diptera, Drosophilidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Tong; Gao, Jian-jun; Lu, Jin-ming; Ji, Xing-lai; Chen, Hong-wei

    2013-01-01

    The phylogenetic relationship among 27 East Asian species of the Stegana genus group was reconstructed using DNA sequences of mitochondrial (COI and ND2) and nuclear (28S) genes. The results lent support to the current generic/subgeneric taxonomic classification in the genus group with the exceptions of the paraphyly of the genus Parastegana and the subgenus Oxyphortica in the genus Stegana. The ancestral areas and divergence times in the genus group were reconstructed/estimated, and accordingly, the biogeographical history of this important clade was discussed. It was proposed that, the evolution of the plant family Fagaceae, especially Quercus, may have played a certain role in facilitating the diversification of the Stegana genus group. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Genetic Structure and Antimicrobial Resistance of Escherichia coli and Cryptic Clades in Birds with Diverse Human Associations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blyton, Michaela D J; Pi, Hongfei; Vangchhia, Belinda; Abraham, Sam; Trott, Darren J; Johnson, James R; Gordon, David M

    2015-08-01

    The manner and extent to which birds associate with humans may influence the genetic attributes and antimicrobial resistance of their commensal Escherichia communities through strain transmission and altered selection pressures. In this study, we determined whether the distribution of the different Escherichia coli phylogenetic groups and cryptic clades, the occurrence of 49 virulence associated genes, and/or the prevalence of resistance to 12 antimicrobials differed between four groups of birds from Australia with contrasting types of human association. We found that birds sampled in suburban and wilderness areas had similar Escherichia communities. The Escherichia communities of backyard domestic poultry were phylogenetically distinct from the Escherichia communities sourced from all other birds, with a large proportion (46%) of poultry strains belonging to phylogenetic group A and a significant minority (17%) belonging to the cryptic clades. Wild birds sampled from veterinary and wildlife rehabilitation centers (in-care birds) carried Escherichia isolates that possessed particular virulence-associated genes more often than Escherichia isolates from birds sampled in suburban and wilderness areas. The Escherichia isolates from both the backyard poultry and in-care birds were more likely to be multidrug resistant than the Escherichia isolates from wild birds. We also detected a multidrug-resistant E. coli strain circulating in a wildlife rehabilitation center, reinforcing the importance of adequate hygiene practices when handling and caring for wildlife. We suggest that the relatively high frequency of antimicrobial resistance in the in-care birds and backyard poultry is due primarily to the use of antimicrobials in these animals, and we recommend that the treatment protocols used for these birds be reviewed. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  3. Molecular characterisation of Escherichia coli from dead broiler chickens with signs of colibacillosis and ready-to-market chicken meat in the West Bank.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qabajah, M; Awwad, E; Ashhab, Y

    2014-01-01

    1. The aim of this work was to compare a group of virulence-associated characteristics of Escherichia coli isolates from broiler chickens that had died with signs of colibacillosis against E. coli isolates from ready-to-market chicken meat in the West Bank. 2. The isolates were investigated to determine the virulence factor (VF) profile, phylogenetic group and the presence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL). A total of 66 avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) strains from different affected broiler farms and 21 E. coli isolates from ready-to-market chicken carcasses (hereinafter called meat strains) from 8 slaughter houses were analysed. 3. The overall content of VFs was significantly higher (P chicken meat can be contaminated with APEC strains (≥4 VF). A significant percentage of the meat strains fall in the B2 group, which is a phylogroup largely associated with human pathogenic ExPEC strains. The results of ESBL screening indicated that broiler chicken products in Palestine represent a potential reservoir of ESBL genes and therefore could be considered a possible public health risk.

  4. CTX-M-15-Producing E. coli Isolates from Food Products in Germany Are Mainly Associated with an IncF-Type Plasmid and Belong to Two Predominant Clonal E. coli Lineages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandra Irrgang

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL mediating resistance to 3rd generation cephalosporins are a major public health issue. As food may be a vehicle in the spread of ESLB-producing bacteria, a study on the occurrence of cephalosporin-resistantu Escherichia coli in food was initiated. A total of 404 ESBL-producing isolates were obtained from animal-derived food samples (e.g., poultry products, pork, beef and raw milk between 2011 and 2013. As CTX-M-15 is the most abundant enzyme in ESBL-producing E. coli causing human infections, this study focusses on E. coli isolates from food samples harboring the blaCTX-M-15 gene. The blaCTX-M-15 gene was detected in 5.2% (n = 21 of all isolates. Molecular analyses revealed a phylogenetic group A ST167 clone that was repeatedly isolated from raw milk and beef samples over a period of 6 months. The analyses indicate that spread of CTX-M-15-producing E. coli in German food samples were associated with a multireplicon IncF (FIA FIB FII plasmid and additional antimicrobial resistance genes such as aac(6-Ib-cr, blaOXA−1, catB3, different tet-variants as well as a class 1 integron with an aadA5/dfrA17 gene cassette. In addition, four phylogenetic group A ST410 isolates were detected. Three of them carried a chromosomal copy of the blaCTX-M-15 gene and a single isolate with the gene on a 90 kb IncF plasmid. The blaCTX-M-15 gene was always associated with the ISEcp1 element. In conclusion, CTX-M-15-producing E. coli were detected in German food samples. Among isolates of different matrices, two prominent clonal lineages, namely A-ST167 and A-ST410, were identified. These lineages may be important for the foodborne dissemination of CTX-M-15-producing E. coli in Germany. Interestingly, these clonal lineages were reported to be widely distributed and especially prevalent in isolates from humans and livestock. Transmission of CTX-M-15-harboring isolates from food-producing animals to food appears probable, as

  5. CTX-M-15-Producing E. coli Isolates from Food Products in Germany Are Mainly Associated with an IncF-Type Plasmid and Belong to Two Predominant Clonal E. coli Lineages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Irrgang, Alexandra; Falgenhauer, Linda; Fischer, Jennie; Ghosh, Hiren; Guiral, Elisabet; Guerra, Beatriz; Schmoger, Silvia; Imirzalioglu, Can; Chakraborty, Trinad; Hammerl, Jens A; Käsbohrer, Annemarie

    2017-01-01

    Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) mediating resistance to 3rd generation cephalosporins are a major public health issue. As food may be a vehicle in the spread of ESLB-producing bacteria, a study on the occurrence of cephalosporin-resistantu Escherichia coli in food was initiated. A total of 404 ESBL-producing isolates were obtained from animal-derived food samples (e.g., poultry products, pork, beef and raw milk) between 2011 and 2013. As CTX-M-15 is the most abundant enzyme in ESBL-producing E. coli causing human infections, this study focusses on E. coli isolates from food samples harboring the bla CTX-M-15 gene. The bla CTX-M-15 gene was detected in 5.2% ( n = 21) of all isolates. Molecular analyses revealed a phylogenetic group A ST167 clone that was repeatedly isolated from raw milk and beef samples over a period of 6 months. The analyses indicate that spread of CTX-M-15-producing E. coli in German food samples were associated with a multireplicon IncF (FIA FIB FII) plasmid and additional antimicrobial resistance genes such as aac(6)-Ib-cr, bla OXA-1 , catB3 , different tet -variants as well as a class 1 integron with an aadA5/dfrA17 gene cassette. In addition, four phylogenetic group A ST410 isolates were detected. Three of them carried a chromosomal copy of the bla CTX-M-15 gene and a single isolate with the gene on a 90 kb IncF plasmid. The bla CTX-M-15 gene was always associated with the IS Ecp1 element. In conclusion, CTX-M-15-producing E. coli were detected in German food samples. Among isolates of different matrices, two prominent clonal lineages, namely A-ST167 and A-ST410, were identified. These lineages may be important for the foodborne dissemination of CTX-M-15-producing E. coli in Germany. Interestingly, these clonal lineages were reported to be widely distributed and especially prevalent in isolates from humans and livestock. Transmission of CTX-M-15-harboring isolates from food-producing animals to food appears probable, as isolates

  6. Genome and Plasmid Sequences of Escherichia coli KV7, an Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase Isolate Derived from Feces of a Healthy Pig

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bateman, Michael D; de Vries, Stefan P W; Gupta, Srishti

    2017-01-01

    We present single-contig assemblies for Escherichia coli strain KV7 (serotype O27, phylogenetic group D) and its six plasmids, isolated from a healthy pig, as determined by PacBio RS II and Illumina MiSeq sequencing. The chromosome of 4,997,475 bp and G+C content of 50.75% harbored 4,540 protein-...

  7. Escherichia coli-producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamase CTX-M-15 in a captive South American tapir (Tapirus terrestris).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klimes, Jiri; Machalkova, Marketa; Dolejska, Monika; Cizek, Alois; Janoszowska, Dagmar; Alexa, Pavel; Albrechtova, Katerina; Vojtech, Jiri; Literak, Ivan

    2013-03-01

    Only a few reports exist on the occurrence of resistant bacteria in zoo animals. Therefore, an isolation of multiresistant Escherichia coli from the lungs of a captive South American tapir (Tapirus terrestris) lead to its characterization and further investigation of samples from animals inhabiting the same paddock and from the shared environment. The tapir suffered from an intermandibular abscess and pneumonia and was euthanatized after unsuccessful therapy, including administration of antibiotics. The authors performed selective isolation of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-positive E. coli strains and identification of resistance genes using polymerase chain reaction. Seven multiresistant, ESBL-producing E. coli isolates were obtained, all belonging to the B2 phylogenetic group and showing identical profile on pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. These isolates carried several resistance genes, including the gene bla(CTX-M-15). This case demonstrates the transmission of related epidemiologically important E. coli isolates whose potential transmission to other animals and zoo staff can be assumed.

  8. Phylogenetic disassembly of species boundaries in a widespread group of Australian skinks (Scincidae: Ctenotus).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rabosky, Daniel L; Hutchinson, Mark N; Donnellan, Stephen C; Talaba, Amanda L; Lovette, Irby J

    2014-08-01

    Scincid lizards in the genus Ctenotus represent one of Australia's most species-rich vertebrate clades, with more than 100 recognized species. Formal diagnoses of many species have relied on qualitative assessments of adult color pattern, but the validity of many such species has not been tested in a phylogenetic framework. We used mitochondrial and nuclear DNA to perform the first phylogenetic analysis of species in the Ctenotus inornatus group, a complex of at least 11 nominal forms that are distributed widely across the Australian continent. Mitochondrial and nuclear gene phylogenies support the presence of multiple species in the group, but these clades largely fail to match species boundaries as currently defined. Multivariate analyses of color pattern indicate that extreme intraspecific morphological variation in this character has created a significant impediment to understanding taxonomic diversity in the group. Our results suggest that nearly all species in the C. inornatus group require substantial taxonomic revision, and several geographically widespread forms ("C. saxatilis" and "C. robustus") appear to be polyphyletic taxa drawn from phenotypically similar but genetically distinct lineages. We describe one new species and provide redescriptions for three additional species. We synonymize names applied to a number of genetically incoherent or otherwise poorly-defined forms. The results of our study highlight an acute need for population genetic studies of species boundaries in Australian skinks, many of which are recognized by morphological traits that vary greatly within and between populations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Multilocus Sequence Typing and Virulence Profiles in Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Isolated from Cats in the United States.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoqiang Liu

    Full Text Available The population structure, virulence, and antimicrobial resistance of uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC from cats are rarely characterized. The aim of this study was to compare and characterize the UPEC isolated from cats in four geographic regions of USA in terms of their multilocus sequence typing (MLST, virulence profiles, clinical signs, antimicrobial resistance and phylogenetic grouping. The results showed that a total of 74 E. coli isolates were typed to 40 sequence types with 10 being novel. The most frequent phylogenetic group was B2 (n = 57. The most frequent sequence types were ST73 (n = 12 and ST83 (n = 6, ST73 was represented by four multidrug resistant (MDR and eight non-multidrug resistant (SDR isolates, and ST83 were significantly more likely to exhibit no drug resistant (NDR isolates carrying the highest number of virulence genes. Additionally, MDR isolates were more diverse, and followed by SDR and NDR isolates in regards to the distribution of the STs. afa/draBC was the most prevalent among the 29 virulence-associated genes. Linking virulence profile and antimicrobial resistance, the majority of virulence-associated genes tested were more prevalent in NDR isolates, and followed by SDR and MDR isolates. Twenty (50% MLST types in this study have previously been associated with human isolates, suggesting that these STs are potentially zoonotic. Our data enhanced the understanding of E. coli population structure and virulence association from cats. The diverse and various combinations of virulence-associated genes implied that the infection control may be challenging.

  10. Highly diverse and antimicrobial susceptible Escherichia coli display a naïve bacterial population in fruit bats from the Republic of Congo.

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    Kathrin Nowak

    Full Text Available Bats are suspected to be a reservoir of several bacterial and viral pathogens relevant to animal and human health, but studies on Escherichia coli in these animals are sparse. We investigated the presence of E. coli in tissue samples (liver, lung and intestines collected from 50 fruit bats of five different species (Eidolon helvum, Epomops franqueti, Hypsignathus monstrosus, Myonycteris torquata, Rousettus aegyptiacus of two different areas in the Republic of Congo between 2009 and 2010. To assess E. coli pathotypes and phylogenetic relationships, we determined the presence of 59 virulence associated genes and multilocus sequence types (STs. Isolates were further tested for their susceptibility to several antimicrobial substances by agar disk diffusion test and for the presence of an Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase phenotype. E. coli was detected in 60% of the bats analysed. The diversity of E. coli strains was very high, with 37 different STs within 40 isolates. Occasionally, we detected sequence types (e.g. ST69, ST127, and ST131 and pathotypes (e.g. ExPEC, EPEC and atypical EPEC, which are known pathogens in human and/or animal infections. Although the majority of strains were assigned to phylogenetic group B2 (46.2%, which is linked with the ExPEC pathovar, occurrence of virulence-associated genes in these strains were unexpectedly low. Due to this, and as only few of the E. coli isolates showed intermediate resistance to certain antimicrobial substances, we assume a rather naïve E. coli population, lacking contact to humans or domestic animals. Future studies featuring in depth comparative whole genome sequence analyses will provide insights into the microevolution of this interesting strain collection.

  11. The Intriguing Evolutionary Journey of Enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC toward Pathogenicity

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    Martina Pasqua

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Among the intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli, enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC are a group of intracellular pathogens able to enter epithelial cells of colon, multiplicate within them, and move between adjacent cells with a mechanism similar to Shigella, the ethiological agent of bacillary dysentery. Despite EIEC belong to the same pathotype of Shigella, they neither have the full set of traits that define Shigella nor have undergone the extensive gene decay observed in Shigella. Molecular analysis confirms that EIEC are widely distributed among E. coli phylogenetic groups and correspond to bioserotypes found in many E. coli serogroups. Like Shigella, also in EIEC the critical event toward a pathogenic life-style consisted in the acquisition by horizontal gene transfer of a large F-type plasmid (pINV containing the genes required for invasion, intracellular survival, and spreading through the intestinal mucosa. In Shigella, the ample gain in virulence determinants has been counteracted by a substantial loss of functions that, although important for the survival in the environment, are redundant or deleterious for the life inside the host. The pathoadaptation process that has led Shigella to modify its metabolic profile and increase its pathogenic potential is still in infancy in EIEC, although maintenance of some features typical of E. coli might favor their emerging relevance as intestinal pathogens worldwide, as documented by recent outbreaks in industrialized countries. In this review, we will discuss the evolution of EIEC toward Shigella-like invasive forms going through the epidemiology, including the emergence of new virulent strains, their genome organization, and the complex interactions they establish with the host.

  12. Phylogenetic classification of bony fishes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Betancur-R, Ricardo; Wiley, Edward O; Arratia, Gloria; Acero, Arturo; Bailly, Nicolas; Miya, Masaki; Lecointre, Guillaume; Ortí, Guillermo

    2017-07-06

    Fish classifications, as those of most other taxonomic groups, are being transformed drastically as new molecular phylogenies provide support for natural groups that were unanticipated by previous studies. A brief review of the main criteria used by ichthyologists to define their classifications during the last 50 years, however, reveals slow progress towards using an explicit phylogenetic framework. Instead, the trend has been to rely, in varying degrees, on deep-rooted anatomical concepts and authority, often mixing taxa with explicit phylogenetic support with arbitrary groupings. Two leading sources in ichthyology frequently used for fish classifications (JS Nelson's volumes of Fishes of the World and W. Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes) fail to adopt a global phylogenetic framework despite much recent progress made towards the resolution of the fish Tree of Life. The first explicit phylogenetic classification of bony fishes was published in 2013, based on a comprehensive molecular phylogeny ( www.deepfin.org ). We here update the first version of that classification by incorporating the most recent phylogenetic results. The updated classification presented here is based on phylogenies inferred using molecular and genomic data for nearly 2000 fishes. A total of 72 orders (and 79 suborders) are recognized in this version, compared with 66 orders in version 1. The phylogeny resolves placement of 410 families, or ~80% of the total of 514 families of bony fishes currently recognized. The ordinal status of 30 percomorph families included in this study, however, remains uncertain (incertae sedis in the series Carangaria, Ovalentaria, or Eupercaria). Comments to support taxonomic decisions and comparisons with conflicting taxonomic groups proposed by others are presented. We also highlight cases were morphological support exist for the groups being classified. This version of the phylogenetic classification of bony fishes is substantially improved, providing resolution

  13. Phylogenetic diversity in the core group of Peziza inferred from ITS sequences and morphology

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, K.; Læssøe, Thomas; Pfister, D.H.

    2002-01-01

    Species delimitation within the core group of Peziza is highly controversial. The group, typified by P. vesiculosa, is morphologically coherent and in previous analyses of LSU rDNA sequences it formed a highly supported clade. Phylogenetic diversity and species limits were investigated within......), shallowly cup- to disc-shaped apothecia (A) and large (up to 15 cm), deeply cup-shaped to expanded apothecia (B). The overall exciple structure (a stratified or non-stratified medullary layer) and to some degree spore surface relief, likewise support the groupings. Clade A contains taxa with smooth...... that populations on a diverse array of substrates may be closely related, or indeed, conspecific....

  14. OCCURRENCE OF ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANT UROPATHOGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI CLONAL GROUP A IN WASTEWATER EFFLUENTS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isolates of Escherichia coli belonging to clonal group A (CGA), a recently described disseminated cause of drug-resistant urinary tract infections in humans, were present in four of seven sewage effluents collected from geographically dispersed areas of the United States. ...

  15. Chromosome sizes of phytoplasmas composing major phylogenetic groups and subgroups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marcone, C; Neimark, H; Ragozzino, A; Lauer, U; Seemüller, E

    1999-09-01

    ABSTRACT Chromosome sizes of 71 phytoplasmas belonging to 12 major phylogenetic groups including several of the aster yellows subgroups were estimated from electrophoretic mobilities of full-length chromosomes in pulsed-field gels. Considerable variation in genome size, from 660 to 1,130 kilobases (kb), was observed among aster yellows phytoplasmas. Chromosome size heterogeneity was also observed in the stolbur phytoplasma group (range 860 to 1,350 kb); in this group, isolate STOLF contains the largest chromosome found in a phytoplasma to date. A wide range of chromosome sizes, from 670 to 1,075 kb, was also identified in the X-disease group. The other phytoplasmas examined, which included members of the apple proliferation, Italian alfalfa witches' broom, faba bean phyllody, pigeon pea witches' broom, sugarcane white leaf, Bermuda grass white leaf, ash yellows, clover proliferation, and elm yellows groups, all have chromosomes smaller than 1 megabase, and the size ranges within each of these groups is narrower than in the aster yellows, stolbur, and X-disease groups. The smallest chromosome, approximately 530 kb, was found in two Bermuda grass white leaf phytoplasma isolates. This not only is the smallest mollicute chromosome found to date, but also is the smallest chromosome known for any cell. More than one large DNA band was observed in several phytoplasma preparations. Possible explanations for the occurrence of more than one band may be infection of the host plant by different phytoplasmas, the presence of more than one chromosome in the same organism, or the presence of large extrachromosomal DNA elements.

  16. Phylogenetic relationships among extinct and extant turtles: the position of Pleurodira and the effects of the fossils on rooting crown-group turtles

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sterli, J.

    2010-01-01

    The origin and evolution of the crown-group of turtles (Cryptodira + Pleurodira) is one of the most interesting topics in turtle evolution, second perhaps only to the phylogenetic position of turtles among amniotes. The present contribution focuses on the former problem, exploring the phylogenetic

  17. The genetic diversity of commensal Escherichia coli strains isolated from nonantimicrobial treated pigs varies according to age group

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ahmed, Shahana; Olsen, John E.; Herrero-Fresno, Ana

    2017-01-01

    This is the first report on the genetic diversity of commensal E. coli from pigs reared in an antibiotic free production system and belonging to different age groups. The study investigated the genetic diversity and relationship of 900 randomly collected commensal E. coli strains from non......-antimicrobial treated pigs assigned to five different age groups in a Danish farm. Fifty-two unique REP profiles were detected suggesting a high degree of diversity. The number of strains per pig ranged from two to 13. The highest and the lowest degree of diversity were found in the early weaners group (Shannon...... diversity index, H' of 2.22) and piglets (H' of 1.46) respectively. The REP profiles, R1, R7 and R28, were the most frequently observed in all age groups. E. coli strains representing each REP profile and additional strains associated with the dominant profiles were subjected to PFGE and were assigned to 67...

  18. Prevalence of multidrug-resistant E. coli in different age groups of dairy cattle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Background: The emergence and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria has become a major public health concern. The objective of this study was to examine antimicrobial resistance in commensal E. coli from different age-groups of animals on dairy farms. Materials: A total of 444 manur...

  19. Rapid and reliable discrimination between Shigella species and Escherichia coli using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paauw, Armand; Jonker, Debby; Roeselers, Guus; Heng, Jonathan M E; Mars-Groenendijk, Roos H; Trip, Hein; Molhoek, E Margo; Jansen, Hugo-Jan; van der Plas, Jan; de Jong, Ad L; Majchrzykiewicz-Koehorst, Joanna A; Speksnijder, Arjen G C L

    2015-01-01

    E. coli-Shigella species are a cryptic group of bacteria in which the Shigella species are distributed within the phylogenetic tree of E. coli. The nomenclature is historically based and the discrimination of these genera developed as a result of the epidemiological need to identify the cause of shigellosis, a severe disease caused by Shigella species. For these reasons, this incorrect classification of shigellae persists to date, and the ability to rapidly characterize E. coli and Shigella species remains highly desirable. Until recently, existing matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) assays used to identify bacteria could not discriminate between E. coli and Shigella species. Here we present a rapid classification method for the E. coli-Shigella phylogroup based on MALDI-TOF MS which is supported by genetic analysis. E. coli and Shigella isolates were collected and genetically characterized by MLVA. A custom reference library for MALDI-TOF MS that represents the genetic diversity of E. coli and Shigella strains was developed. Characterization of E. coli and Shigella species is based on an approach with Biotyper software. Using this reference library it was possible to distinguish between Shigella species and E. coli. Of the 180 isolates tested, 94.4% were correctly classified as E. coli or shigellae. The results of four (2.2%) isolates could not be interpreted and six (3.3%) isolates were classified incorrectly. The custom library extends the existing MALDI-TOF MS method for species determination by enabling rapid and accurate discrimination between Shigella species and E. coli. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  20. Novel sequence types of extended-spectrum and acquired AmpC beta-lactamase producing Escherichia coli and Escherichia clade V isolated from wild mammals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alonso, Carla Andrea; Alcalá, Leticia; Simón, Carmen; Torres, Carmen

    2017-08-01

    The closer contact with wildlife due to the growing human population and the destruction of natural habitats emphasizes the need of gaining insight into the role of animals as source of antimicrobial resistance. Here, we aim at characterizing the antimicrobial resistance genes and phylogenetic distribution of commensal Escherichia coli from 62 wild mammals. Isolates exhibiting resistance to ≥1 antibiotic were detected in 25.8% of the animals and 6.4% carried an extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)/AmpC-producing E. coli. Genetic mechanisms involved in third-generation cephalosporin resistance were as follows: (i) hyperproduction of chromosomal AmpC (hedgehog), (ii) production of acquired CMY-2 β-lactamase (hedgehog), (iii) production of SHV-12 and CTX-M-14 ESBLs (n = 2, mink and roe-deer). ESBL genes were transferable by conjugation, and blaCMY-2 was mobilized by a 95kb IncI1 plasmid. The distribution of the phylogenetic groups in the E. coli collection studied was B1 (44.6%), B2 (24.6%), E (15.4%), A (4.6%) and F (3.1%). Five isolates (7.7%) were cryptic Escherichia clades (clade IV, 4 mice; clade V, 1 mink). ESBL/AmpC-E. coli isolates showed different sequence types (STs): ST1128/B1, ST4564/B1 (new), ST4996/B1 (new) and a non-registered ST. This study contributes to better understand the E. coli population and antimicrobial resistance flow in wildlife and reports new AmpC-E. coli STs and a first described ESBL-producing Escherichia clade V isolate. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  1. Comparative virulotyping of extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant E. coli isolated from broilers, humans on broiler farms and in the general population and UTI patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Hoek, Angela H A M; Stalenhoef, Janneke E; van Duijkeren, Engeline; Franz, Eelco

    2016-10-15

    During the last decade extended-spectrum cephalosporin (ESC)-resistant Escherichia coli from food-producing animals, especially from broilers, have become a major public health concern because of the potential transmission of these resistant bacteria or their plasmid-encoded resistance genes to humans. The objective of this study was to compare ESC-resistant E. coli isolates from broilers (n=149), humans in contact with these broilers (n=44), humans in the general population (n=63), and patients with a urinary tract infection (UTI) (n=10) with respect to virulence determinants, phylogenetic groups and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)/plasmidic-AmpC (pAmpC) genes. The most prevalent ESBL/pAmpC genes among isolates from broilers and individuals on broiler farms were bla CTX-M-1 , bla CMY-2 and bla SHV-12 . In isolates from humans in the general population bla CTX-M-1 , bla CTX-M-14 and bla CTX-M-15 were found most frequently, whereas in UTI isolates bla CTX-M-15 predominated. The marker for enteroaggregative E. coli, aggR, was only identified in a broiler and human isolates from the general population. The extraintestinal virulence genes afa and hlyD were exclusively present in human isolates in the general population and UTI isolates. Multivariate analysis, based on ESBL/pAmpC resistance genes, virulence profiles and phylogenetic groups, revealed that most UTI isolates formed a clearly distinct group. Isolates from broilers and humans associated with broiler farms clustered together. In contrast, isolates from the general population showed some overlap with the former two groups but primarily formed a separate group. These results indicate than transmission occurs between broilers and humans on broiler farms, but also indicate that the role of broilers as a source of foodborne transmission of ESC-resistant E. coli to the general population and subsequently causative agents of human urinary tract infections is likely relatively small. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier

  2. Risk of Transmission of Antimicrobial Resistant Escherichia coli from Commercial Broiler and Free-Range Retail Chicken in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hussain, Arif; Shaik, Sabiha; Ranjan, Amit; Nandanwar, Nishant; Tiwari, Sumeet K; Majid, Mohammad; Baddam, Ramani; Qureshi, Insaf A; Semmler, Torsten; Wieler, Lothar H; Islam, Mohammad A; Chakravortty, Dipshikha; Ahmed, Niyaz

    2017-01-01

    Multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli infections are a growing public health concern. This study analyzed the possibility of contamination of commercial poultry meat (broiler and free-range) with pathogenic and or multi-resistant E. coli in retail chain poultry meat markets in India. We analyzed 168 E. coli isolates from broiler and free-range retail poultry (meat/ceca) sampled over a wide geographical area, for their antimicrobial sensitivity, phylogenetic groupings, virulence determinants, extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL) genotypes, fingerprinting by Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus (ERIC) PCR and genetic relatedness to human pathogenic E. coli using whole genome sequencing (WGS). The prevalence rates of ESBL producing E. coli among broiler chicken were: meat 46%; ceca 40%. Whereas, those for free range chicken were: meat 15%; ceca 30%. E. coli from broiler and free-range chicken exhibited varied prevalence rates for multi-drug resistance (meat 68%; ceca 64% and meat 8%; ceca 26%, respectively) and extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) contamination (5 and 0%, respectively). WGS analysis confirmed two globally emergent human pathogenic lineages of E. coli , namely the ST131 ( H 30-Rx subclone) and ST117 among our poultry E. coli isolates. These results suggest that commercial poultry meat is not only an indirect public health risk by being a possible carrier of non-pathogenic multi-drug resistant (MDR)- E. coli , but could as well be the carrier of human E. coli pathotypes. Further, the free-range chicken appears to carry low risk of contamination with antimicrobial resistant and extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC). Overall, these observations reinforce the understanding that poultry meat in the retail chain could possibly be contaminated by MDR and/or pathogenic E. coli.

  3. Estimating phylogenetic relationships despite discordant gene trees across loci: the species tree of a diverse species group of feather mites (Acari: Proctophyllodidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knowles, Lacey L; Klimov, Pavel B

    2011-11-01

    With the increased availability of multilocus sequence data, the lack of concordance of gene trees estimated for independent loci has focused attention on both the biological processes producing the discord and the methodologies used to estimate phylogenetic relationships. What has emerged is a suite of new analytical tools for phylogenetic inference--species tree approaches. In contrast to traditional phylogenetic methods that are stymied by the idiosyncrasies of gene trees, approaches for estimating species trees explicitly take into account the cause of discord among loci and, in the process, provides a direct estimate of phylogenetic history (i.e. the history of species divergence, not divergence of specific loci). We illustrate the utility of species tree estimates with an analysis of a diverse group of feather mites, the pinnatus species group (genus Proctophyllodes). Discord among four sequenced nuclear loci is consistent with theoretical expectations, given the short time separating speciation events (as evident by short internodes relative to terminal branch lengths in the trees). Nevertheless, many of the relationships are well resolved in a Bayesian estimate of the species tree; the analysis also highlights ambiguous aspects of the phylogeny that require additional loci. The broad utility of species tree approaches is discussed, and specifically, their application to groups with high speciation rates--a history of diversification with particular prevalence in host/parasite systems where species interactions can drive rapid diversification.

  4. Phylogenetic Position of Barbus lacerta Heckel, 1843

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    Mustafa Korkmaz

    2015-11-01

    As a result, five clades come out from phylogenetic reconstruction and in phylogenetic tree Barbus lacerta determined to be sister group of Barbus macedonicus, Barbus oligolepis and Barbus plebejus complex.

  5. PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS WHITHIN THE PRISTIMANTIS UNISTRIGATUS (ANURA, CRAUGASTORIDAE GROUP BASED ON MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERS

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    JULIO MARIO HOYOS

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available We present a phylogenetic analysis within the Pristimantis unistrigatus group (Anura, Craugastoridae of Colombia . Characters from the superficial muscles of the hands and feet as well as external characters were taken for analysis. Most of the muscle characters were observed directly, and some were taken from the literature. Similarly, the external ones were taken mostly from the original descriptions and others from the literature as well. Two matrices were constructed, as the species belonging to this group have changed in recent years with respect to the initially proposed when the group was defined. The results lead us to conclude that the group is not monophyletic, although there are some relationships that are worth to survey because they are kept in the very last cladograms obtained for both proposals. It is suggested that these last relationships should be explored in particular, and the overall group in general, increasing the number of characters and taxa that belong to P. unistrigatus. An open question we left is whether actually is worth to keep these informal taxonomic hierarchy called group within the genera of anurans.

  6. Principales características y diagnóstico de los grupos patógenos de Escherichia coli Diagnosis and main characteristics of Escherichia coli pathogenic groups

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guadalupe Rodríguez-Angeles

    2002-09-01

    Full Text Available Escherichia coli coloniza el intestino del hombre pocas horas después del nacimiento y se considera de flora normal, pero hay descritos seis grupos de E. coli productora de diarrea: enterotoxigénica (ETEC, enterohemorrágica (EHEC, enteroinvasiva (EIEC, enteropatógena (EPEC, enteroagregativa (EAEC y de adherencia difusa (DAEC. La bacteria se puede aislar e identificar tradicionalmente con base en sus características bioquímicas o serológicas, pero también se pueden estudiar sus mecanismos de patogenicidad mediante ensayos en cultivos celulares o modelos animales y, más recientemente, empleando técnicas de biología molecular que evidencian la presencia de genes involucrados en dichos mecanismos. La intención del presente trabajo es resaltar la importancia del estudio y diagnóstico de E. coli como patógeno capaz de causar casos aislados o brotes de diarrea, síndrome urémico hemolítico, colitis hemorrágica y cuadros de disentería, principalmente en niños; por esto es necesario conocer mejor a la bacteria y mantener la vigilancia epidemiológica.Escherichia coli colonizes the human intestinal tract within hours of birth and is considered a non-pathogenic member of the normal intestinal flora. However, there are six pathogenic groups that may produce diarrhea: enterotoxigenic (ETEC, enterohemorrhagic (EHEC, enteroinvasive (EIEC, enteropathogenic (EPEC, enteroaggregative (EAEC and diffusely adherent (DAEC groups. E. coli can be isolated and classified using traditional methods, by identifying its biochemical or serum characteristics. The pathogenic mechanisms may be studied in cell cultures and animal model assays, as well as more up to date molecular biology methods for study and diagnosis. The latter have proven that genes are involved in pathogenesis. The objective of the present work is to draw attention to the importance of E. coli as a pathogenic organism. This microorganism is an etiologic agent of sporadic cases of diarrhea

  7. Plasmid-mediated AmpC beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli causing urinary tract infection in the Auckland community likely to be resistant to commonly prescribed antimicrobials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drinkovic, Dragana; Morris, Arthur J; Dyet, Kristin; Bakker, Sarah; Heffernan, Helen

    2015-03-13

    To estimate the prevalence and characterise plasmid-mediated AmpC beta-lactamase (PMACBL)- producing Escherichia coli in the Auckland community. All cefoxitin non-susceptible (NS) E. coli identified at the two Auckland community laboratories between 1 January and 31 August 2011 were referred to ESR for boronic acid double-disc synergy testing, to detect the production of AmpC beta-lactamase, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to identify the presence of PMACBL genes. PMACBL-producing isolates were typed using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and PCR was used to determine their phylogenetic group and to identify multilocus sequence type (ST)131. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing and detection of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) were performed according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute recommendations. 101 (51%) and 74 (37%) of 200 non-duplicate cefoxitin-NS E. coli were PMACBL producers or assumed hyper-producers of chromosomal AmpC beta-lactamase, respectively. The prevalence of PMACBL-producing E. coli was 0.4%. PMACBL-producing E. coli were significantly less susceptible to norfloxacin, trimethoprim and nitrofurantoin than E. coli that produced neither a PMACBL nor an ESBL. Very few (4%) PMACBL-producing E. coli co-produced an ESBL. Most (88%) of the PMACBL-producing isolates had a CMY-2-like PMACBL. The PMACBL-producing E. coli isolates were diverse based on their PFGE profiles, 44% belonged to phylogenetic group D, and only four were ST131. 100 of the 101 PMACBL-producing E. coli were cultured from urine, and were causing urinary tract infection (UTI) in the majority of patients. The median patient age was 56 years and most (94%) of the patients were women. A greater proportion of patients with community-acquired UTI caused by PMACBL-producing E. coli received a beta-lactam antimicrobial than patients with community-acquired UTI caused by other non-AmpC, non-ESBL-producing E. coli. Thirty-six (43%) patients with community

  8. Multilocus sequence typing of commensal and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli from domestic and wild lagomorphs in Italy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giorgia Dotto

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the study was to determine the multilocus sequence types of Escherichia coli from diseased farm rabbits and apparently healthy wild lagomorphs, and the genetic relatedness among them. Fifty-five enteropathogenic E. coli from reared rabbits and 32 from wild rabbits and hares were characterised by multilocus sequence typing (MLST according to the Michigan State University EcMLST scheme. Isolates were differentiated into 37 sequence types (STs, which were grouped into 8 clonal complexes (CCs. The most common ST was ST140 (CC31, followed by ST238 and ST119 (CC17. MLST analysis revealed 22 novel STs. Phylogenetic analyses showed a heterogeneous distribution of STs into 3 clusters of genetically related strains. The genetic relationship among STs of different origin and the detection of new, as well as previously described STs as human pathogens, indicate a widespread distribution and adaptability of particular lineages to different hosts. These findings highlight the need for further research to improve the knowledge about E. coli populations colonising the gut of lagomorphs and their zoonotic potential.

  9. Differential Distribution of Type II CRISPR-Cas Systems in Agricultural and Nonagricultural Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni Isolates Correlates with Lack of Shared Environments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pearson, Bruce M; Louwen, Rogier; van Baarlen, Peter; van Vliet, Arnoud H M

    2015-09-02

    CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats)-Cas (CRISPR-associated) systems are sequence-specific adaptive defenses against phages and plasmids which are widespread in prokaryotes. Here we have studied whether phylogenetic relatedness or sharing of environmental niches affects the distribution and dissemination of Type II CRISPR-Cas systems, first in 132 bacterial genomes from 15 phylogenetic classes, ranging from Proteobacteria to Actinobacteria. There was clustering of distinct Type II CRISPR-Cas systems in phylogenetically distinct genera with varying G+C%, which share environmental niches. The distribution of CRISPR-Cas within a genus was studied using a large collection of genome sequences of the closely related Campylobacter species Campylobacter jejuni (N = 3,746) and Campylobacter coli (N = 486). The Cas gene cas9 and CRISPR-repeat are almost universally present in C. jejuni genomes (98.0% positive) but relatively rare in C. coli genomes (9.6% positive). Campylobacter jejuni and agricultural C. coli isolates share the C. jejuni CRISPR-Cas system, which is closely related to, but distinct from the C. coli CRISPR-Cas system found in C. coli isolates from nonagricultural sources. Analysis of the genomic position of CRISPR-Cas insertion suggests that the C. jejuni-type CRISPR-Cas has been transferred to agricultural C. coli. Conversely, the absence of the C. coli-type CRISPR-Cas in agricultural C. coli isolates may be due to these isolates not sharing the same environmental niche, and may be affected by farm hygiene and biosecurity practices in the agricultural sector. Finally, many CRISPR spacer alleles were linked with specific multilocus sequence types, suggesting that these can assist molecular epidemiology applications for C. jejuni and C. coli. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

  10. Impact of dry chilling on the genetic diversity of Escherichia coli on beef carcasses and on the survival of E. coli and E. coli O157.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Visvalingam, Jeyachchandran; Liu, Yang; Yang, Xianqin

    2017-03-06

    The objective of this study was to examine the effect of dry chilling on the genetic diversity of naturally occurring Escherichia coli on beef carcasses, and to examine whether two populations of E. coli recovered from carcasses during chilling and E. coli O157 differed in their response to desiccation. Isolates of E. coli were obtained from beef carcasses during a 67h dry chilling process and were genotyped using multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA). Ten E. coli genotypes found only at 0h (group A) and found more than once (group B), as well as five strains of E. coli O157 (group C) were inoculated on stainless steel coupons and their survival was examined after exposure to 75 and 100% relative humidity (RH) at 0 or 35°C for 67h. A total of 450 E. coli isolates were obtained, with 254, 49, 49, 51, 23, 20, and 4 from 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 24h of chilling, respectively. No E. coli were recovered at 67h. MLVA of the isolates revealed 173 distinct genotypes. Genetic diversity of E. coli isolates, defined as ratio of the number of isolates to the number of genotypes, remained between 2.3 and 1.3 during the 24h of chilling. All strains inoculated on stainless steel coupons and exposed to 75% RH at 35°C were completely inactivated, irrespective of their groups. Inactivation of E. coli of the three groups was not significantly (P>0.05) different by exposure to 75% RH at 0°C. The findings indicate that the genetic diversity of E. coli on beef carcasses was not affected by dry chilling. In addition, inactivation of E. coli genotypes and E. coli O157 by desiccation on stainless steel simulating dry chilling conditions did not differ significantly (P>0.05). Thus, dry chilling may be used as an effective antimicrobial intervention for beef carcasses. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Functional & phylogenetic diversity of copepod communities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benedetti, F.; Ayata, S. D.; Blanco-Bercial, L.; Cornils, A.; Guilhaumon, F.

    2016-02-01

    The diversity of natural communities is classically estimated through species identification (taxonomic diversity) but can also be estimated from the ecological functions performed by the species (functional diversity), or from the phylogenetic relationships among them (phylogenetic diversity). Estimating functional diversity requires the definition of specific functional traits, i.e., phenotypic characteristics that impact fitness and are relevant to ecosystem functioning. Estimating phylogenetic diversity requires the description of phylogenetic relationships, for instance by using molecular tools. In the present study, we focused on the functional and phylogenetic diversity of copepod surface communities in the Mediterranean Sea. First, we implemented a specific trait database for the most commonly-sampled and abundant copepod species of the Mediterranean Sea. Our database includes 191 species, described by seven traits encompassing diverse ecological functions: minimal and maximal body length, trophic group, feeding type, spawning strategy, diel vertical migration and vertical habitat. Clustering analysis in the functional trait space revealed that Mediterranean copepods can be gathered into groups that have different ecological roles. Second, we reconstructed a phylogenetic tree using the available sequences of 18S rRNA. Our tree included 154 of the analyzed Mediterranean copepod species. We used these two datasets to describe the functional and phylogenetic diversity of copepod surface communities in the Mediterranean Sea. The replacement component (turn-over) and the species richness difference component (nestedness) of the beta diversity indices were identified. Finally, by comparing various and complementary aspects of plankton diversity (taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity) we were able to gain a better understanding of the relationships among the zooplankton community, biodiversity, ecosystem function, and environmental forcing.

  12. Identification of Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli Strains from Avian Organic Fertilizers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Puño-Sarmiento

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available The Brazilian poultry industry generates large amounts of organic waste, such as chicken litter, which is often used in agriculture. Among the bacteria present in organic fertilizer are members of the Enterobacteriaceae family. The objective of this study was to detect the presence of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC strains in avian organic fertilizer, and assess the potential damage they can cause in humans due to antimicrobial resistance. The presence of DEC pathotypes and phylogenetic groups were detected by multiplex-PCR. Phenotypic assays, such as tests for adhesion, cytotoxicity activity, biofilm formation and especially antimicrobial susceptibility, were performed. Fifteen DEC strains from 64 E. coli were isolated. Among these, four strains were classified as enteropathogenic (EPEC; 6.2%, three strains as Shiga toxin-producing (STEC; 4.7%, 10 strains as enteroaggregative (EAEC; 12.5%, but two of these harbored the eaeA gene too. The low number of isolated strains was most likely due to the composting process, which reduces the number of microorganisms. These strains were able to adhere to HEp-2 and HeLa cells and produce Shiga-toxins and biofilms; in addition, some of the strains showed antimicrobial resistance, which indicates a risk of the transfer of resistance genes to human E. coli. These results showed that DEC strains isolated from avian organic fertilizers can cause human infections.

  13. Identification of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli strains from avian organic fertilizers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puño-Sarmiento, Juan; Gazal, Luis Eduardo; Medeiros, Leonardo P; Nishio, Erick K; Kobayashi, Renata K T; Nakazato, Gerson

    2014-08-28

    The Brazilian poultry industry generates large amounts of organic waste, such as chicken litter, which is often used in agriculture. Among the bacteria present in organic fertilizer are members of the Enterobacteriaceae family. The objective of this study was to detect the presence of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) strains in avian organic fertilizer, and assess the potential damage they can cause in humans due to antimicrobial resistance. The presence of DEC pathotypes and phylogenetic groups were detected by multiplex-PCR. Phenotypic assays, such as tests for adhesion, cytotoxicity activity, biofilm formation and especially antimicrobial susceptibility, were performed. Fifteen DEC strains from 64 E. coli were isolated. Among these, four strains were classified as enteropathogenic (EPEC; 6.2%), three strains as Shiga toxin-producing (STEC; 4.7%), 10 strains as enteroaggregative (EAEC; 12.5%), but two of these harbored the eaeA gene too. The low number of isolated strains was most likely due to the composting process, which reduces the number of microorganisms. These strains were able to adhere to HEp-2 and HeLa cells and produce Shiga-toxins and biofilms; in addition, some of the strains showed antimicrobial resistance, which indicates a risk of the transfer of resistance genes to human E. coli. These results showed that DEC strains isolated from avian organic fertilizers can cause human infections.

  14. Escherichia coli Phosphoenolpyruvate-Dependent Phosphotransferase System : Mechanism of Phosphoryl-Group Transfer from Phosphoenolpyruvate to HPr

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Misset, Onno; Robillard, George T.

    1982-01-01

    The mechanism of phosphoryl-group transfer from phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) to HPr, catalyzed by enzyme I of the Escherichia coli PEP-dependent phosphotransferase system, has been studied in vitro. Steady-state kinetics and isotope exchange measurements revealed that this reaction cannot be described

  15. Escherichia coli producing colibactin triggers premature and transmissible senescence in mammalian cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Secher

    Full Text Available Cellular senescence is an irreversible state of proliferation arrest evoked by a myriad of stresses including oncogene activation, telomere shortening/dysfunction and genotoxic insults. It has been associated with tumor activation, immune suppression and aging, owing to the secretion of proinflammatory mediators. The bacterial genotoxin colibactin, encoded by the pks genomic island is frequently harboured by Escherichia coli strains of the B2 phylogenetic group. Mammalian cells exposed to live pks+ bacteria exhibit DNA-double strand breaks (DSB and undergo cell-cycle arrest and death. Here we show that cells that survive the acute bacterial infection with pks+ E. coli display hallmarks of cellular senescence: chronic DSB, prolonged cell-cycle arrest, enhanced senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal activity, expansion of promyelocytic leukemia nuclear foci and senescence-associated heterochromatin foci. This was accompanied by reactive oxygen species production and pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and proteases secretion. These mediators were able to trigger DSB and enhanced SA-β-Gal activity in bystander recipient cells treated with conditioned medium from senescent cells. Furthermore, these senescent cells promoted the growth of human tumor cells. In conclusion, the present data demonstrated that the E. coli genotoxin colibactin induces cellular senescence and subsequently propel bystander genotoxic and oncogenic effects.

  16. Risk of Transmission of Antimicrobial Resistant Escherichia coli from Commercial Broiler and Free-Range Retail Chicken in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arif Hussain

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli infections are a growing public health concern. This study analyzed the possibility of contamination of commercial poultry meat (broiler and free-range with pathogenic and or multi-resistant E. coli in retail chain poultry meat markets in India. We analyzed 168 E. coli isolates from broiler and free-range retail poultry (meat/ceca sampled over a wide geographical area, for their antimicrobial sensitivity, phylogenetic groupings, virulence determinants, extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL genotypes, fingerprinting by Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus (ERIC PCR and genetic relatedness to human pathogenic E. coli using whole genome sequencing (WGS. The prevalence rates of ESBL producing E. coli among broiler chicken were: meat 46%; ceca 40%. Whereas, those for free range chicken were: meat 15%; ceca 30%. E. coli from broiler and free-range chicken exhibited varied prevalence rates for multi-drug resistance (meat 68%; ceca 64% and meat 8%; ceca 26%, respectively and extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC contamination (5 and 0%, respectively. WGS analysis confirmed two globally emergent human pathogenic lineages of E. coli, namely the ST131 (H30-Rx subclone and ST117 among our poultry E. coli isolates. These results suggest that commercial poultry meat is not only an indirect public health risk by being a possible carrier of non-pathogenic multi-drug resistant (MDR-E. coli, but could as well be the carrier of human E. coli pathotypes. Further, the free-range chicken appears to carry low risk of contamination with antimicrobial resistant and extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC. Overall, these observations reinforce the understanding that poultry meat in the retail chain could possibly be contaminated by MDR and/or pathogenic E. coli.

  17. Short notes and reviews Simplifying hydrozoan classification: inappropriateness of the group Hydroidomedusae in a phylogenetic context

    OpenAIRE

    Marques, Antonio C.

    2001-01-01

    The systematics of Hydrozoa is considered from the viewpoint of logical consistency between phylogeny and classification. The validity of the nominal taxon Hydroidomedusae (including all groups of Hydrozoa except the Siphonophorae) is discussed with regard to its distinctness and inclusive relationships. In general, phylogenetic systematic evidence suggest that the use of the term Hydroidomedusae is inappropriate given our current level of understanding. It is concluded that no new, or resurr...

  18. Molecular characterization and phylogeny of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) from imported beef meat in Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abuelhassan, Nawal Nouridaim; Mutalib, Sahilah Abdul; Gimba, Fufa Ido; Yusoff, Wan Mohtar

    2016-09-01

    This study aimed at determining the presence and characterization of Escherichia coli and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) from imported frozen beef meats. Seventy-four (74) frozen imported beef meat samples from two countries, India (42 samples) and Australia (32 samples), were collected and tested for E. coli. These samples were purchased from the frozen meat sections of five different supermarkets in different locations in Selangor, Malaysia, from April 2012 to October 2014. A total of 222 E. coli strains were isolated from the meat samples; 126 strains were isolated from country A (India), and 96 E. coli strains were from country of origin B (Australia), respectively. A total of 70 E. coli strains were identified and characterized. All E. coli strains were isolated into Fluorocult medium and identified using API 20E kit. All selected E. coli strains were characterized for Shiga toxin genes (stx1 and stx2). All biochemically identified E. coli in this study were further subjected to molecular detection through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and characterization using 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. Of the 70 E. coli strains, 11 strains were positive for both Shiga toxin genes (stx1 and stx2) and 11 (11/70) strains were positive for stx1 gene, while 25 (25/70) strains were positive for stx2 gene. The analysis of 16S rRNA gene of all the E. coli isolates in this study was successfully sequenced and analyzed, and based on sequence data obtained, a phylogenetic tree of the 16S rRNA gene was performed using Clustal W programme in MEGA 6.06 software. Phylogenetic tree showed that the E. coli isolates in our study cluster with the strain of E. coli isolated in other countries, which further confirm that the isolates of E. coli in this study are similar to those obtained in other studies. As a result, all the strains obtained in this study proved to be a strain of pathogenic E. coli, which may cause a serious outbreak

  19. Improved Detection of Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL)-Producing Escherichia coli in Input and Output Samples of German Biogas Plants by a Selective Pre-Enrichment Procedure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schauss, Thorsten; Glaeser, Stefanie P.; Gütschow, Alexandra; Dott, Wolfgang; Kämpfer, Peter

    2015-01-01

    The presence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli was investigated in input (manure from livestock husbandry) and output samples of six German biogas plants in 2012 (one sampling per biogas plant) and two German biogas plants investigated in an annual cycle four times in 2013/2014. ESBL-producing Escherichia coli were cultured by direct plating on CHROMagar ESBL from input samples in the range of 100 to 104 colony forming units (CFU) per g dry weight but not from output sample. This initially indicated a complete elimination of ESBL-producing E. coli by the biogas plant process. Detected non target bacteria were assigned to the genera Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Bordetella, Achromobacter, Castellaniella, and Ochrobactrum. A selective pre-enrichment procedure increased the detection efficiency of ESBL-producing E. coli in input samples and enabled the detection in five of eight analyzed output samples. In total 119 ESBL-producing E. coli were isolated from input and 46 from output samples. Most of the E. coli isolates carried CTX-M-type and/or TEM-type beta lactamases (94%), few SHV-type beta lactamase (6%). Sixty-four bla CTX-M genes were characterized more detailed and assigned mainly to CTX-M-groups 1 (85%) and 9 (13%), and one to group 2. Phylogenetic grouping of 80 E. coli isolates showed that most were assigned to group A (71%) and B1 (27%), only one to group D (2%). Genomic fingerprinting and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) showed a high clonal diversity with 41 BOX-types and 19 ST-types. The two most common ST-types were ST410 and ST1210. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of 46 selected ESBL-producing E. coli revealed that several isolates were additionally resistant to other veterinary relevant antibiotics and some grew on CHROMagar STEC but shiga-like toxine (SLT) genes were not detected. Resistance to carbapenems was not detected. In summary the study showed for the first time the presence of ESBL-producing E. coli in

  20. Improved detection of extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL-producing Escherichia coli in input and output samples of German biogas plants by a selective pre-enrichment procedure.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thorsten Schauss

    Full Text Available The presence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL-producing Escherichia coli was investigated in input (manure from livestock husbandry and output samples of six German biogas plants in 2012 (one sampling per biogas plant and two German biogas plants investigated in an annual cycle four times in 2013/2014. ESBL-producing Escherichia coli were cultured by direct plating on CHROMagar ESBL from input samples in the range of 100 to 104 colony forming units (CFU per g dry weight but not from output sample. This initially indicated a complete elimination of ESBL-producing E. coli by the biogas plant process. Detected non target bacteria were assigned to the genera Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Bordetella, Achromobacter, Castellaniella, and Ochrobactrum. A selective pre-enrichment procedure increased the detection efficiency of ESBL-producing E. coli in input samples and enabled the detection in five of eight analyzed output samples. In total 119 ESBL-producing E. coli were isolated from input and 46 from output samples. Most of the E. coli isolates carried CTX-M-type and/or TEM-type beta lactamases (94%, few SHV-type beta lactamase (6%. Sixty-four blaCTX-M genes were characterized more detailed and assigned mainly to CTX-M-groups 1 (85% and 9 (13%, and one to group 2. Phylogenetic grouping of 80 E. coli isolates showed that most were assigned to group A (71% and B1 (27%, only one to group D (2%. Genomic fingerprinting and multilocus sequence typing (MLST showed a high clonal diversity with 41 BOX-types and 19 ST-types. The two most common ST-types were ST410 and ST1210. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of 46 selected ESBL-producing E. coli revealed that several isolates were additionally resistant to other veterinary relevant antibiotics and some grew on CHROMagar STEC but shiga-like toxine (SLT genes were not detected. Resistance to carbapenems was not detected. In summary the study showed for the first time the presence of ESBL-producing E

  1. Phylogenetic analysis of several Thermus strains from Rehai of Tengchong, Yunnan, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Lianbing; Zhang, Jie; Wei, Yunlin; Chen, Chaoyin; Peng, Qian

    2005-10-01

    Several Thermus strains were isolated from 10 hot springs of the Rehai geothermal area in Tengchong, Yunnan province. The diversity of Thermus strains was examined by sequencing the 16S rRNA genes and comparing their sequences. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the 16S rDNA sequences from the Rehai geothermal isolates form four branches in the phylogenetic tree and had greater than 95.9% similarity in the phylogroup. Secondary structure comparison also indicated that the 16S rRNA from the Rehai geothermal isolates have unique secondary structure characteristics in helix 6, helix 9, and helix 10 (reference to Escherichia coli). This research is the first attempt to reveal the diversity of Thermus strains that are distributed in the Rehai geothermal area.

  2. Sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis of core gene of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Phylogenetic analysis suggests that our sequences are clustered with sequences reported from Japan. This is the first phylogenetic analysis of HCV core gene from Pakistani population. Our sequences and sequences from Japan are grouped into same cluster in the phylogenetic tree. Sequence comparison and ...

  3. Phylogenetic relationships of the Cochliopinae (Rissooidea: Hydrobiidae): an enigmatic group of aquatic gastropods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, H P; Hershler, R; Thompson, F G

    2001-10-01

    Phylogenetic analysis based on a partial sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene was performed for 26 representatives of the aquatic gastropod subfamily Cochliopinae, 6 additional members of the family Hydrobiidae, and outgroup species of the families Rissoidae and Pomatiopsidae. Maximum-parsimony analysis yielded a single shortest tree which resolved two monophyletic groups: (1) a clade containing all cochliopine taxa with the exception of Antroselates and (2) a clade composed of Antroselates and the hydrobiid genus Amnicola. The clade containing both of these monophyletic groups was depicted as more closely related to members of the family Pomatiopsidae than to other hydrobiid snails which were basally positioned in our topology. New anatomical evidence supports recognition of the cochliopine and Antroselates-Amnicola clades, and structure within the monophyletic group of cochliopines is largely congruent with genitalic characters. However, the close relationship between the Pomatiopsidae and these clades is in conflict with commonly accepted classifications and suggests that a widely accepted scenario for genitalic evolution in these snails is in need of further study. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

  4. Phylo_dCor: distance correlation as a novel metric for phylogenetic profiling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sferra, Gabriella; Fratini, Federica; Ponzi, Marta; Pizzi, Elisabetta

    2017-09-05

    Elaboration of powerful methods to predict functional and/or physical protein-protein interactions from genome sequence is one of the main tasks in the post-genomic era. Phylogenetic profiling allows the prediction of protein-protein interactions at a whole genome level in both Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes. For this reason it is considered one of the most promising methods. Here, we propose an improvement of phylogenetic profiling that enables handling of large genomic datasets and infer global protein-protein interactions. This method uses the distance correlation as a new measure of phylogenetic profile similarity. We constructed robust reference sets and developed Phylo-dCor, a parallelized version of the algorithm for calculating the distance correlation that makes it applicable to large genomic data. Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli genome datasets, we showed that Phylo-dCor outperforms phylogenetic profiling methods previously described based on the mutual information and Pearson's correlation as measures of profile similarity. In this work, we constructed and assessed robust reference sets and propose the distance correlation as a measure for comparing phylogenetic profiles. To make it applicable to large genomic data, we developed Phylo-dCor, a parallelized version of the algorithm for calculating the distance correlation. Two R scripts that can be run on a wide range of machines are available upon request.

  5. In vitro Effectiveness of Commercial Bacteriophage Cocktails on Diverse Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase Producing Escherichia coli Strains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gundogdu, Aycan; Bolkvadze, Darajen; Kilic, Huseyin

    2016-01-01

    The objective of this study is to determine the in vitro susceptibility of Georgian bacteriophage cocktails on multidrug resistant (MDR) extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-EC) isolated from patients' blood and urine cultures. A total of 615 E. coli isolates were included in this study. Phene Plate (PhP)-typing and phylogenetic grouping were used for the typing. Antimicrobial resistance profiles and ESBL production of all isolates were confirmed according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) criteria. The activities of four bacteriophage cocktails (Enko-phage, SES-bacteriophage, Pyo-bacteriophage, and Intesti-bacteriophage) were determined against 142 ESBL-EC using in vitro spot tests. According to this, Enko-phage were active against 87.3% of the tested strains while that ratio was 81.7% for Intesti-bacteriophage, 81.7% for Pyo-bacteriophage, and 59.2% for SES-bacteriophage cocktails. Based on the contingency tests, the phage cocktails were observed to be statistically significantly ( p < 0.001) more effective on ESBL-EC strains belonging to phylogenetic groups D and B2. The employed phage cocktails were found to be affective against all tested resistant types. These results are promising especially for the infections that are caused by MDR pathogens that are difficult to treat. As this is a preliminary step to the potential clinical trials to be designed for the country, in vitro confirmation of their success on a MDR ESBL-EC collection should be accepted as an initial action, which is encouraging to consider clinical trials of phage therapy especially in countries which are not introduce phage therapy.

  6. A RAD-based phylogenetics for Orestias fishes from Lake Titicaca.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takahashi, Tetsumi; Moreno, Edmundo

    2015-12-01

    The fish genus Orestias is endemic to the Andes highlands, and Lake Titicaca is the centre of the species diversity of the genus. Previous phylogenetic studies based on a single locus of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA strongly support the monophyly of a group composed of many of species endemic to the Lake Titicaca basin (the Lake Titicaca radiation), but the relationships among the species in the radiation remain unclear. Recently, restriction site-associated DNA (RAD) sequencing, which can produce a vast number of short sequences from various loci of nuclear DNA, has emerged as a useful way to resolve complex phylogenetic problems. To propose a new phylogenetic hypothesis of Orestias fishes of the Lake Titicaca radiation, we conducted a cluster analysis based on morphological similarities among fish samples and a molecular phylogenetic analysis based on RAD sequencing. From a morphological cluster analysis, we recognised four species groups in the radiation, and three of the four groups were resolved as monophyletic groups in maximum-likelihood trees based on RAD sequencing data. The other morphology-based group was not resolved as a monophyletic group in molecular phylogenies, and some members of the group were diverged from its sister group close to the root of the Lake Titicaca radiation. The evolution of these fishes is discussed from the phylogenetic relationships. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Phylogenetic diversity and similarity of active sites of Shiga toxin (stx) in Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) isolates from humans and animals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asakura, H; Makino, S; Kobori, H; Watarai, M; Shirahata, T; Ikeda, T; Takeshi, K

    2001-08-01

    Nucleotide sequences of Shiga toxin (Stx) genes in STEC from various origins were determined and characterized by phylogenetic analysis based on Shiga toxin (Stx) with those deposited in GenBank. The phylogenetic trees placed Stx1 and Stx2 into two and five groups respectively, and indicated that Stx1 in sheep-origin STEC were placed into a different group from those in other STEC, and that Stx2 of deer-origin STEC also belonged to the unique group and appeared to be distantly related to human-origin STEC. On the other hand, Stx of STEC isolated from cattle, seagulls and flies were closely related to those of human-origin STEC. Such a diversity of Stx suggested that STEC might be widely disseminated in many animal species, and be dependent on their host species or their habitat. In addition, the active sites in both toxins were compared; the active sites in both subunits of Stx in all the animal-origin STEC were identical to those in human-origin STEC, suggesting that all the toxin of STEC from animals might be also cytotoxic, and therefore, such animal-origin STEC might have potential pathogenicity for humans.

  8. Unrealistic phylogenetic trees may improve phylogenetic footprinting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nettling, Martin; Treutler, Hendrik; Cerquides, Jesus; Grosse, Ivo

    2017-06-01

    The computational investigation of DNA binding motifs from binding sites is one of the classic tasks in bioinformatics and a prerequisite for understanding gene regulation as a whole. Due to the development of sequencing technologies and the increasing number of available genomes, approaches based on phylogenetic footprinting become increasingly attractive. Phylogenetic footprinting requires phylogenetic trees with attached substitution probabilities for quantifying the evolution of binding sites, but these trees and substitution probabilities are typically not known and cannot be estimated easily. Here, we investigate the influence of phylogenetic trees with different substitution probabilities on the classification performance of phylogenetic footprinting using synthetic and real data. For synthetic data we find that the classification performance is highest when the substitution probability used for phylogenetic footprinting is similar to that used for data generation. For real data, however, we typically find that the classification performance of phylogenetic footprinting surprisingly increases with increasing substitution probabilities and is often highest for unrealistically high substitution probabilities close to one. This finding suggests that choosing realistic model assumptions might not always yield optimal predictions in general and that choosing unrealistically high substitution probabilities close to one might actually improve the classification performance of phylogenetic footprinting. The proposed PF is implemented in JAVA and can be downloaded from https://github.com/mgledi/PhyFoo. : martin.nettling@informatik.uni-halle.de. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

  9. treespace: Statistical exploration of landscapes of phylogenetic trees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jombart, Thibaut; Kendall, Michelle; Almagro-Garcia, Jacob; Colijn, Caroline

    2017-11-01

    The increasing availability of large genomic data sets as well as the advent of Bayesian phylogenetics facilitates the investigation of phylogenetic incongruence, which can result in the impossibility of representing phylogenetic relationships using a single tree. While sometimes considered as a nuisance, phylogenetic incongruence can also reflect meaningful biological processes as well as relevant statistical uncertainty, both of which can yield valuable insights in evolutionary studies. We introduce a new tool for investigating phylogenetic incongruence through the exploration of phylogenetic tree landscapes. Our approach, implemented in the R package treespace, combines tree metrics and multivariate analysis to provide low-dimensional representations of the topological variability in a set of trees, which can be used for identifying clusters of similar trees and group-specific consensus phylogenies. treespace also provides a user-friendly web interface for interactive data analysis and is integrated alongside existing standards for phylogenetics. It fills a gap in the current phylogenetics toolbox in R and will facilitate the investigation of phylogenetic results. © 2017 The Authors. Molecular Ecology Resources Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Insights into the evolution of pathogenicity of Escherichia coli from genomic analysis of intestinal E. coli of Marmota himalayana in Qinghai-Tibet plateau of China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Shan; Jin, Dong; Wu, Shusheng; Yang, Jing; Lan, Ruiting; Bai, Xiangning; Liu, Sha; Meng, Qiong; Yuan, Xuejiao; Zhou, Juan; Pu, Ji; Chen, Qiang; Dai, Hang; Hu, Yuanyuan; Xiong, Yanwen; Ye, Changyun; Xu, Jianguo

    2016-12-07

    Escherichia coli is both of a widespread harmless gut commensal and a versatile pathogen of humans. Domestic animals are a well-known reservoir for pathogenic E. coli. However, studies of E. coli populations from wild animals that have been separated from human activities had been very limited. Here we obtained 580 isolates from intestinal contents of 116 wild Marmot Marmota himalayana from Qinghai-Tibet plateau, China, with five isolates per animal. We selected 125 (hereinafter referred to as strains) from the 580 isolates for genome sequencing, based on unique pulse field gel electrophoresis patterns and at least one isolate per animal. Whole genome sequence analysis revealed that all 125 strains carried at least one and the majority (79.2%) carried multiple virulence genes based on the analysis of 22 selected virulence genes. In particular, the majority of the strains carried virulence genes from different pathovars as potential 'hybrid pathogens'. The alleles of eight virulence genes from the Marmot E. coli were found to have diverged earlier than all known alleles from human and other animal E. coli. Phylogenetic analysis of the 125 Marmot E. coli genomes and 355 genomes selected from 1622 human and other E. coli strains identified two new phylogroups, G and H, both of which diverged earlier than the other phylogroups. Eight of the 12 well-known pathogenic E. coli lineages were found to share a most recent common ancestor with one or more Marmot E. coli strains. Our results suggested that the intestinal E. coli of the Marmots contained a diverse virulence gene pool and is potentially pathogenic to humans. These findings provided a new understanding of the evolutionary origin of pathogenic E. coli.

  11. Scanning electron microscopy of male terminalia and its application to species recognition and phylogenetic reconstruction in the Drosophila saltans group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Souza, Tiago Alves Jorge; Noll, Fernando Barbosa; Bicudo, Hermione Elly Melara de Campos; Madi-Ravazzi, Lilian

    2014-01-01

    The Drosophila saltans group consists of five subgroups and 21 species, most of which have been identified only by morphological aspects of the male terminalia revealed by drawings using a camera lucida and a bright-field microscope. However, several species in the group, mainly those included in the saltans subgroup, are difficult to differentiate using only these characteristics. In this study, we used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to analyze 19 structures of the male terminalia in 10 species from the five saltans subgroups. Among these structures, nine could be identified only through SEM analysis. We aimed to find other characteristics useful for morphological recognition of these species and to use these characteristics for phylogenetic reconstruction. These morphological differences enabled us to effectively distinguish among sibling species. These findings confirmed the monophyly of this group as previously determined in evolutionary studies based on other markers. The single most parsimonious tree (CI = 87 and RI = 90) indicated that the cordata subgroup is the most basal lineage and the saltans subgroup is the most apical lineage, as shown in earlier studies based on morphological data. However, our findings differed somewhat from these studies with respect to the phylogenetic relationships of species in the saltans group indicating that this group is still a puzzle that remains to be deciphered.

  12. Identification of Escherichia coli and Shigella Species from Whole-Genome Sequences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chattaway, Marie A; Schaefer, Ulf; Tewolde, Rediat; Dallman, Timothy J; Jenkins, Claire

    2017-02-01

    Escherichia coli and Shigella species are closely related and genetically constitute the same species. Differentiating between these two pathogens and accurately identifying the four species of Shigella are therefore challenging. The organism-specific bioinformatics whole-genome sequencing (WGS) typing pipelines at Public Health England are dependent on the initial identification of the bacterial species by use of a kmer-based approach. Of the 1,982 Escherichia coli and Shigella sp. isolates analyzed in this study, 1,957 (98.4%) had concordant results by both traditional biochemistry and serology (TB&S) and the kmer identification (ID) derived from the WGS data. Of the 25 mismatches identified, 10 were enteroinvasive E. coli isolates that were misidentified as Shigella flexneri or S. boydii by the kmer ID, and 8 were S. flexneri isolates misidentified by TB&S as S. boydii due to nonfunctional S. flexneri O antigen biosynthesis genes. Analysis of the population structure based on multilocus sequence typing (MLST) data derived from the WGS data showed that the remaining discrepant results belonged to clonal complex 288 (CC288), comprising both S. boydii and S. dysenteriae strains. Mismatches between the TB&S and kmer ID results were explained by the close phylogenetic relationship between the two species and were resolved with reference to the MLST data. Shigella can be differentiated from E. coli and accurately identified to the species level by use of kmer comparisons and MLST. Analysis of the WGS data provided explanations for the discordant results between TB&S and WGS data, revealed the true phylogenetic relationships between different species of Shigella, and identified emerging pathoadapted lineages. © Crown copyright 2017.

  13. Reconstructing phylogenetic networks using maximum parsimony.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakhleh, Luay; Jin, Guohua; Zhao, Fengmei; Mellor-Crummey, John

    2005-01-01

    Phylogenies - the evolutionary histories of groups of organisms - are one of the most widely used tools throughout the life sciences, as well as objects of research within systematics, evolutionary biology, epidemiology, etc. Almost every tool devised to date to reconstruct phylogenies produces trees; yet it is widely understood and accepted that trees oversimplify the evolutionary histories of many groups of organims, most prominently bacteria (because of horizontal gene transfer) and plants (because of hybrid speciation). Various methods and criteria have been introduced for phylogenetic tree reconstruction. Parsimony is one of the most widely used and studied criteria, and various accurate and efficient heuristics for reconstructing trees based on parsimony have been devised. Jotun Hein suggested a straightforward extension of the parsimony criterion to phylogenetic networks. In this paper we formalize this concept, and provide the first experimental study of the quality of parsimony as a criterion for constructing and evaluating phylogenetic networks. Our results show that, when extended to phylogenetic networks, the parsimony criterion produces promising results. In a great majority of the cases in our experiments, the parsimony criterion accurately predicts the numbers and placements of non-tree events.

  14. in vitro effectiveness of commercial bacteriophage cocktails on diverse extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL producing Escherichia coli strains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aycan Gundogdu

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study is to determine the in vitro susceptibility of Georgian bacteriophage cocktails on multi-drug resistant extended-spectrum β-lactamase producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-EC isolated from patients' blood and urine cultures. 615 E. coli isolates were included in this study. PhP-typing and phylogenetic grouping were used for the typing. Antimicrobial resistance profiles and ESBL production of all isolates were confirmed according to CLSI criteria. The activities of four bacteriophage cocktails (Enko-phage, SES-bacteriophage, Pyo-bacteriophage and Intesti-bacteriophage were determined against 142 ESBL- EC using in vitro spot tests. According to this, Enko-phage were active against 87.3% of the tested strains while that ratio was 81.7% for intesti-bacteriophage, 81.7% for Pyo-bacteriophage and 59.2% for SES-bacteriophage cocktails. Based on the contingency tests, the phage cocktails were observed to be statistically significantly (p<0.001 more effective on ESBL-EC strains belonging to phylogenetic groups D and B2. The employed phage cocktails were found to be affective against all tested resistant types. These results are promising especially for the infections that are caused by multi-drug resistant pathogens that are difficult to treat. As this is a preliminary step to the potential clinical trials to be designed for the country, in vitro confirmation of their success on a multi-drug-resistant ESBL-EC collection should be accepted as an initial action, which is encouraging to consider clinical trials of phage therapy especially in countries which are not introduce phage therapy.

  15. Phylogenetic reconstruction methods: an overview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Bruyn, Alexandre; Martin, Darren P; Lefeuvre, Pierre

    2014-01-01

    Initially designed to infer evolutionary relationships based on morphological and physiological characters, phylogenetic reconstruction methods have greatly benefited from recent developments in molecular biology and sequencing technologies with a number of powerful methods having been developed specifically to infer phylogenies from macromolecular data. This chapter, while presenting an overview of basic concepts and methods used in phylogenetic reconstruction, is primarily intended as a simplified step-by-step guide to the construction of phylogenetic trees from nucleotide sequences using fairly up-to-date maximum likelihood methods implemented in freely available computer programs. While the analysis of chloroplast sequences from various Vanilla species is used as an illustrative example, the techniques covered here are relevant to the comparative analysis of homologous sequences datasets sampled from any group of organisms.

  16. One tree to link them all: a phylogenetic dataset for the European tetrapoda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roquet, Cristina; Lavergne, Sébastien; Thuiller, Wilfried

    2014-08-08

    Since the ever-increasing availability of phylogenetic informative data, the last decade has seen an upsurge of ecological studies incorporating information on evolutionary relationships among species. However, detailed species-level phylogenies are still lacking for many large groups and regions, which are necessary for comprehensive large-scale eco-phylogenetic analyses. Here, we provide a dataset of 100 dated phylogenetic trees for all European tetrapods based on a mixture of supermatrix and supertree approaches. Phylogenetic inference was performed separately for each of the main Tetrapoda groups of Europe except mammals (i.e. amphibians, birds, squamates and turtles) by means of maximum likelihood (ML) analyses of supermatrix applying a tree constraint at the family (amphibians and squamates) or order (birds and turtles) levels based on consensus knowledge. For each group, we inferred 100 ML trees to be able to provide a phylogenetic dataset that accounts for phylogenetic uncertainty, and assessed node support with bootstrap analyses. Each tree was dated using penalized-likelihood and fossil calibration. The trees obtained were well-supported by existing knowledge and previous phylogenetic studies. For mammals, we modified the most complete supertree dataset available on the literature to include a recent update of the Carnivora clade. As a final step, we merged the phylogenetic trees of all groups to obtain a set of 100 phylogenetic trees for all European Tetrapoda species for which data was available (91%). We provide this phylogenetic dataset (100 chronograms) for the purpose of comparative analyses, macro-ecological or community ecology studies aiming to incorporate phylogenetic information while accounting for phylogenetic uncertainty.

  17. Iodometric and Molecular Detection of ESBL Production Among Clinical Isolates of E. coli Fingerprinted by ERIC-PCR: The First Egyptian Report Declares the Emergence of E. coli O25b-ST131clone Harboring blaGES.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Badawy, Mohamed F; Tawakol, Wael M; Maghrabi, Ibrahim A; Mansy, Moselhy S; Shohayeb, Mohamed M; Ashour, Mohammed S

    2017-09-01

    The extensive use of β-lactam antibiotics has led to emergence and spread of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs). This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of 7 different ESBL genes (bla TEM , bla SHV , bla CTX-M , bla VEB , bla PER , bla GES , and bla OXA-10 ) and O25b-ST131 high-risk clone among 61 clinical isolates of Escherichia coli. Also, one broad-spectrum β-lactamase (bla OXA-1 ) was investigated. This study was also constructed to evaluate iodometric overlay method in detection of ESBL production. Phenotypic identification of E. coli isolates using API 20E revealed 18 distinct biotypes. DNA fingerprinting using enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus polymerase chain reaction (ERIC-PCR) differentiated all isolates into 2 main phylogenetic groups with 60 distinct genetic profiles. Elevated values of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) 50 and MIC 90 for third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins were observed. Phenotypic tests revealed that 85.24% of isolates were ESBL producers. The incidence rates of bla TEM , bla SHV , bla CTX-M , bla GES , bla OXA-1 , and bla OXA-10 among E. coli ESBL producer phenotype were 69.23%, 25%, 96.15%, 3.85%, 11.54%, and 48%, respectively. On the other hand, bla VEB and bla PER were not detected. Sequencing of bla TEM and bla SHV revealed that bla TEM-214 and bla SHV-11 were the most prevalent variants. Group characterization of bla CTX-M revealed that bla CTX-M-1 was the most prevalent group of bla CTX-M family. It was found that 30.77% of E. coli ESBL producers belonged to O25b-ST131 clone harboring bla CTX-M-15 . This study concluded that iodometric overlay method was 100% sensitive in detection of ESBL production. To our knowledge, this is the first Egyptian study that declares the emergence of E. coli O25b-ST131 harboring bla GES .

  18. Social network community structure and the contact-mediated sharing of commensal E. coli among captive rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balasubramaniam, Krishna; Beisner, Brianne; Guan, Jiahui; Vandeleest, Jessica; Fushing, Hsieh; Atwill, Edward; McCowan, Brenda

    2018-01-01

    In group-living animals, heterogeneity in individuals' social connections may mediate the sharing of microbial infectious agents. In this regard, the genetic relatedness of individuals' commensal gut bacterium Escherichia coli may be ideal to assess the potential for pathogen transmission through animal social networks. Here we use microbial phylogenetics and population genetics approaches, as well as host social network reconstruction, to assess evidence for the contact-mediated sharing of E. coli among three groups of captively housed rhesus macaques ( Macaca mulatta ), at multiple organizational scales. For each group, behavioral data on grooming, huddling, and aggressive interactions collected for a six-week period were used to reconstruct social network communities via the Data Cloud Geometry (DCG) clustering algorithm. Further, an E. coli isolate was biochemically confirmed and genotypically fingerprinted from fecal swabs collected from each macaque. Population genetics approaches revealed that Group Membership, in comparison to intrinsic attributes like age, sex, and/or matriline membership of individuals, accounted for the highest proportion of variance in E. coli genotypic similarity. Social network approaches revealed that such sharing was evident at the community-level rather than the dyadic level. Specifically, although we found no links between dyadic E. coli similarity and social contact frequencies, similarity was significantly greater among macaques within the same social network communities compared to those across different communities. Moreover, tests for one of our study-groups confirmed that E. coli isolated from macaque rectal swabs were more genotypically similar to each other than they were to isolates from environmentally deposited feces. In summary, our results suggest that among frequently interacting, spatially constrained macaques with complex social relationships, microbial sharing via fecal-oral, social contact-mediated routes may

  19. Distribution of Diverse Escherichia coli between Cattle and Pasture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    NandaKafle, Gitanjali; Seale, Tarren; Flint, Toby; Nepal, Madhav; Venter, Stephanus N; Brözel, Volker S

    2017-09-27

    Escherichia coli is widely considered to not survive for extended periods outside the intestines of warm-blooded animals; however, recent studies demonstrated that E. coli strains maintain populations in soil and water without any known fecal contamination. The objective of this study was to investigate whether the niche partitioning of E. coli occurs between cattle and their pasture. We attempted to clarify whether E. coli from bovine feces differs phenotypically and genotypically from isolates maintaining a population in pasture soil over winter. Soil, bovine fecal, and run-off samples were collected before and after the introduction of cattle to the pasture. Isolates (363) were genotyped by uidA and mutS sequences and phylogrouping, and evaluated for curli formation (Rough, Dry, And Red, or RDAR). Three types of clusters emerged, viz. bovine-associated, clusters devoid of cattle isolates and representing isolates endemic to the pasture environment, and clusters with both. All isolates clustered with strains of E. coli sensu stricto, distinct from the cryptic species Clades I, III, IV, and V. Pasture soil endemic and bovine fecal populations had very different phylogroup distributions, indicating niche partitioning. The soil endemic population was largely comprised of phylogroup B1 and had a higher average RDAR score than other isolates. These results indicate the existence of environmental E. coli strains that are phylogenetically distinct from bovine fecal isolates, and that have the ability to maintain populations in the soil environment.

  20. Whole-genome comparison of urinary pathogenic Escherichia coli and faecal isolates of UTI patients and healthy controls.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nielsen, Karen Leth; Stegger, Marc; Kiil, Kristoffer; Godfrey, Paul A; Feldgarden, Michael; Lilje, Berit; Andersen, Paal S; Frimodt-Møller, Niels

    2017-12-01

    The faecal flora is a common reservoir for urinary tract infection (UTI), and Escherichia coli (E. coli) is frequently found in this reservoir without causing extraintestinal infection. We investigated these E. coli reservoirs by whole-genome sequencing a large collection of E. coli from healthy controls (faecal), who had never previously had UTI, and from UTI patients (faecal and urinary) sampled from the same geographical area. We compared MLST types, phylogenetic relationship, accessory genome content and FimH type between patient and control faecal isolates as well as between UTI and faecal-only isolates, respectively. Comparison of the accessory genome of UTI isolates to faecal isolates revealed 35 gene families which were significantly more prevalent in the UTI isolates compared to the faecal isolates, although none of these were unique to one of the two groups. Of these 35, 22 belonged to a genomic island and three putatively belonged to a type VI secretion system (T6SS). MLST types and SNP phylogeny indicated no clustering of the UTI or faecal E. coli from patients distinct from the control faecal isolates, although there was an overrepresentation of UTI isolates belonging to clonal lineages CC73 and CC12. One combination of mutations in FimH, N70S/S78N, was significantly associated to UTI, while phylogenetic analysis of FimH and fimH identified no signs of distinct adaptation of UTI isolates compared to faecal-only isolates not causing UTI. In summary, the results showed that (i) healthy women who had never previously had UTI carried faecal E. coli which were overall closely related to UTI and faecal isolates from UTI patients; (ii) UTI isolates do not cluster separately from faecal-only isolates based on SNP analysis; and (iii) 22 gene families of a genomic island, putative T6SS proteins as well as specific metabolism and virulence associated proteins were significantly more common in UTI isolates compared to faecal-only isolates and (iv) evolution of fim

  1. On the information content of discrete phylogenetic characters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bordewich, Magnus; Deutschmann, Ina Maria; Fischer, Mareike; Kasbohm, Elisa; Semple, Charles; Steel, Mike

    2017-12-16

    Phylogenetic inference aims to reconstruct the evolutionary relationships of different species based on genetic (or other) data. Discrete characters are a particular type of data, which contain information on how the species should be grouped together. However, it has long been known that some characters contain more information than others. For instance, a character that assigns the same state to each species groups all of them together and so provides no insight into the relationships of the species considered. At the other extreme, a character that assigns a different state to each species also conveys no phylogenetic signal. In this manuscript, we study a natural combinatorial measure of the information content of an individual character and analyse properties of characters that provide the maximum phylogenetic information, particularly, the number of states such a character uses and how the different states have to be distributed among the species or taxa of the phylogenetic tree.

  2. Morphological characterization and phylogenetic distance among ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The genetic diversity was calculated with Nei and Li's index, and the phylogenetic tree (dendrogram) was generated with a neighbor-joining program. The dendrogram indicates the diversity of the genotypes, which are grouped into three distinctive large groups. The largest group includes species from the Mediolobivia and ...

  3. Orthology prediction at scalable resolution by phylogenetic tree analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huynen Martijn A

    2007-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Orthology is one of the cornerstones of gene function prediction. Dividing the phylogenetic relations between genes into either orthologs or paralogs is however an oversimplification. Already in two-species gene-phylogenies, the complicated, non-transitive nature of phylogenetic relations results in inparalogs and outparalogs. For situations with more than two species we lack semantics to specifically describe the phylogenetic relations, let alone to exploit them. Published procedures to extract orthologous groups from phylogenetic trees do not allow identification of orthology at various levels of resolution, nor do they document the relations between the orthologous groups. Results We introduce "levels of orthology" to describe the multi-level nature of gene relations. This is implemented in a program LOFT (Levels of Orthology From Trees that assigns hierarchical orthology numbers to genes based on a phylogenetic tree. To decide upon speciation and gene duplication events in a tree LOFT can be instructed either to perform classical species-tree reconciliation or to use the species overlap between partitions in the tree. The hierarchical orthology numbers assigned by LOFT effectively summarize the phylogenetic relations between genes. The resulting high-resolution orthologous groups are depicted in colour, facilitating visual inspection of (large trees. A benchmark for orthology prediction, that takes into account the varying levels of orthology between genes, shows that the phylogeny-based high-resolution orthology assignments made by LOFT are reliable. Conclusion The "levels of orthology" concept offers high resolution, reliable orthology, while preserving the relations between orthologous groups. A Windows as well as a preliminary Java version of LOFT is available from the LOFT website http://www.cmbi.ru.nl/LOFT.

  4. Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli O78:H10, the cause of an outbreak of urinary tract infection

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olesen, Bente; Scheutz, Flemming; Andersen, Rebecca L

    2012-01-01

    to these traits and resistance profiles, are unknown. Accordingly, we extensively characterized 51 archived E. coli O78:H10 isolates (48 human isolates from seven countries, including 19 Copenhagen outbreak isolates, and 1 each of calf, avian, and unknown-source isolates), collected from 1956 through 2000. E...... by molecular methods as enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) (P 90% of outbreak isolates included fimH (type 1 fimbriae; ubiquitous in E. coli); fyuA, traT, and iutA (associated with extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli [ExPEC]); and sat, pic, aatA, aggR, aggA, ORF61, aaiC, aap, and ORF3......In 1991, multiresistant Escherichia coli O78:H10 strains caused an outbreak of urinary tract infections in Copenhagen, Denmark. The phylogenetic origin, clonal background, and virulence characteristics of the outbreak isolates, and their relationship to nonoutbreak O78:H10 strains according...

  5. High-throughput identification of chemical inhibitors of E. coli Group 2 capsule biogenesis as anti-virulence agents.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos C Goller

    Full Text Available Rising antibiotic resistance among Escherichia coli, the leading cause of urinary tract infections (UTIs, has placed a new focus on molecular pathogenesis studies, aiming to identify new therapeutic targets. Anti-virulence agents are attractive as chemotherapeutics to attenuate an organism during disease but not necessarily during benign commensalism, thus decreasing the stress on beneficial microbial communities and lessening the emergence of resistance. We and others have demonstrated that the K antigen capsule of E. coli is a preeminent virulence determinant during UTI and more invasive diseases. Components of assembly and export are highly conserved among the major K antigen capsular types associated with UTI-causing E. coli and are distinct from the capsule biogenesis machinery of many commensal E. coli, making these attractive therapeutic targets. We conducted a screen for anti-capsular small molecules and identified an agent designated "C7" that blocks the production of K1 and K5 capsules, unrelated polysaccharide types among the Group 2-3 capsules. Herein lies proof-of-concept that this screen may be implemented with larger chemical libraries to identify second-generation small-molecule inhibitors of capsule biogenesis. These inhibitors will lead to a better understanding of capsule biogenesis and may represent a new class of therapeutics.

  6. Computing the Skewness of the Phylogenetic Mean Pairwise Distance in Linear Time

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tsirogiannis, Constantinos; Sandel, Brody Steven

    2014-01-01

    The phylogenetic Mean Pairwise Distance (MPD) is one of the most popular measures for computing the phylogenetic distance between a given group of species. More specifically, for a phylogenetic tree and for a set of species R represented by a subset of the leaf nodes of , the MPD of R is equal...... to the average cost of all possible simple paths in that connect pairs of nodes in R. Among other phylogenetic measures, the MPD is used as a tool for deciding if the species of a given group R are closely related. To do this, it is important to compute not only the value of the MPD for this group but also...

  7. Testing the Metabolic Theory of Ecology with marine bacteria: Different temperature sensitivity of major phylogenetic groups during the spring phytoplankton bloom

    KAUST Repository

    Arandia-Gorostidi, Nestor

    2017-08-24

    Although temperature is a key driver of bacterioplankton metabolism, the effect of ocean warming on different bacterial phylogenetic groups remains unclear. Here, we conducted monthly short-term incubations with natural coastal bacterial communities over an annual cycle to test the effect of experimental temperature on the growth rates and carrying capacities of four phylogenetic groups: SAR11, Rhodobacteraceae, Gammaproteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. SAR11 was the most abundant group year-round as analysed by CARD-FISH, with maximum abundances in summer, while the other taxa peaked in spring. All groups, including SAR11, showed high temperature-sensitivity of growth rates and/or carrying capacities in spring, under phytoplankton bloom or post-bloom conditions. In that season, Rhodobacteraceae showed the strongest temperature response in growth rates, estimated here as activation energy (E, 1.43 eV), suggesting an advantage to outcompete other groups under warmer conditions. In summer E values were in general lower than 0.65 eV, the value predicted by the Metabolic Theory of Ecology (MTE). Contrary to MTE predictions, carrying capacity tended to increase with warming for all bacterial groups. Our analysis confirms that resource availability is key when addressing the temperature response of heterotrophic bacterioplankton. We further show that even under nutrient-sufficient conditions, warming differentially affected distinct bacterioplankton taxa. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  8. Phylogenetic footprints in organizational behavior

    OpenAIRE

    Witt, Ulrich; Schwesinger, Georg

    2012-01-01

    An evolutionary tool kit is applied in this paper to explain how innate social behavior traits evolved in early human groups. These traits were adapted to the particular production requirements of the group in human phylogeny. They shaped the group members' attitudes towards contributing to the group's goals and towards other group members. We argue that these attitudes are still present in modern humans and leave their phylogenetic footprints also in present-day organizational life. We discu...

  9. Undergraduate Students’ Difficulties in Reading and Constructing Phylogenetic Tree

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sa'adah, S.; Tapilouw, F. S.; Hidayat, T.

    2017-02-01

    Representation is a very important communication tool to communicate scientific concepts. Biologists produce phylogenetic representation to express their understanding of evolutionary relationships. The phylogenetic tree is visual representation depict a hypothesis about the evolutionary relationship and widely used in the biological sciences. Phylogenetic tree currently growing for many disciplines in biology. Consequently, learning about phylogenetic tree become an important part of biological education and an interesting area for biology education research. However, research showed many students often struggle with interpreting the information that phylogenetic trees depict. The purpose of this study was to investigate undergraduate students’ difficulties in reading and constructing a phylogenetic tree. The method of this study is a descriptive method. In this study, we used questionnaires, interviews, multiple choice and open-ended questions, reflective journals and observations. The findings showed students experiencing difficulties, especially in constructing a phylogenetic tree. The students’ responds indicated that main reasons for difficulties in constructing a phylogenetic tree are difficult to placing taxa in a phylogenetic tree based on the data provided so that the phylogenetic tree constructed does not describe the actual evolutionary relationship (incorrect relatedness). Students also have difficulties in determining the sister group, character synapomorphy, autapomorphy from data provided (character table) and comparing among phylogenetic tree. According to them building the phylogenetic tree is more difficult than reading the phylogenetic tree. Finding this studies provide information to undergraduate instructor and students to overcome learning difficulties of reading and constructing phylogenetic tree.

  10. Spread of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli ST117 O78:H4 in Nordic broiler production

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ronco, Troels; Stegger, Marc; Olsen, Rikke Heidemann

    2017-01-01

    Escherichia coli infections known as colibacillosis constitute a considerable challenge to poultry farmers worldwide, in terms of decreased animal welfare and production economy. Colibacillosis is caused by avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC). APEC strains are extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli...... of isolates were collected from poultry with colibacillosis on Nordic farms. Subsequently, comparative genomic analyses were carried out. This included in silico typing (sero- and multi-locus sequence typing), identification of virulence and resistance genes and phylogenetic analyses based on single...... diseased broilers and breeders. The data indicate that the closely related ST117 O78:H4 strains have been transferred vertically through the broiler breeding pyramid into distantly located farms across the Nordic countries....

  11. Fourier transform inequalities for phylogenetic trees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsen, Frederick A

    2009-01-01

    Phylogenetic invariants are not the only constraints on site-pattern frequency vectors for phylogenetic trees. A mutation matrix, by its definition, is the exponential of a matrix with non-negative off-diagonal entries; this positivity requirement implies non-trivial constraints on the site-pattern frequency vectors. We call these additional constraints "edge-parameter inequalities". In this paper, we first motivate the edge-parameter inequalities by considering a pathological site-pattern frequency vector corresponding to a quartet tree with a negative internal edge. This site-pattern frequency vector nevertheless satisfies all of the constraints described up to now in the literature. We next describe two complete sets of edge-parameter inequalities for the group-based models; these constraints are square-free monomial inequalities in the Fourier transformed coordinates. These inequalities, along with the phylogenetic invariants, form a complete description of the set of site-pattern frequency vectors corresponding to bona fide trees. Said in mathematical language, this paper explicitly presents two finite lists of inequalities in Fourier coordinates of the form "monomial < or = 1", each list characterizing the phylogenetically relevant semialgebraic subsets of the phylogenetic varieties.

  12. Genetic diversity, phylogroup distribution and virulence gene profile of pks positive Escherichia coli colonizing human intestinal polyps.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarshar, Meysam; Scribano, Daniela; Marazzato, Massimiliano; Ambrosi, Cecilia; Aprea, Maria Rita; Aleandri, Marta; Pronio, Annamaria; Longhi, Catia; Nicoletti, Mauro; Zagaglia, Carlo; Palamara, Anna Teresa; Conte, Maria Pia

    2017-11-01

    Some Escherichia coli strains of phylogroup B2 harbor a (pks) pathogenicity island that encodes a polyketide-peptide genotoxin called colibactin. It causes DNA double-strand breaks and megalocytosis in eukaryotic cells and it may contribute to cancer development. Study of bacterial community that colonizes the adenomatous polyp lesion, defined as precancerous lesions, could be helpful to assess if such pathogenic bacteria possess a role in the polyp progression to cancer. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 1500 E. coli isolates were obtained from biopsies of patients presenting adenomatous colon polyps, the normal tissues adjacent to the polyp lesion and patients presenting normal mucosa. pks island frequency, phylogenetic grouping, fingerprint genotyping, and virulence gene features of pks positive (pks + ) E. coli isolates were performed. We found pks + E. coli strongly colonize two patients presenting polypoid lesions and none were identified in patients presenting normal mucosa. Predominant phylogroups among pks + E. coli isolates were B2, followed by D. Clustering based on fragment profiles of composite analysis, typed the pks + isolates into 5 major clusters (I-V) and 17 sub-clusters, demonstrating a high level of genetic diversity among them. The most prevalent virulence genes were fimH and fyuA (100%), followed by vat (92%), hra and papA (69%), ibeA (28%), and hlyA (25%). Our results revealed that pks + E. coli can colonize the precancerous lesions, with a high distribution in both the polyp lesions and in normal tissues adjacent to the lesion. The high differences in fingerprinting patterns obtained indicate that pks + E. coli strains were genetically diverse, possibly allowing them to more easily adapt to environmental variations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Open Reading Frame Phylogenetic Analysis on the Cloud

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Che-Lun Hung

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Phylogenetic analysis has become essential in researching the evolutionary relationships between viruses. These relationships are depicted on phylogenetic trees, in which viruses are grouped based on sequence similarity. Viral evolutionary relationships are identified from open reading frames rather than from complete sequences. Recently, cloud computing has become popular for developing internet-based bioinformatics tools. Biocloud is an efficient, scalable, and robust bioinformatics computing service. In this paper, we propose a cloud-based open reading frame phylogenetic analysis service. The proposed service integrates the Hadoop framework, virtualization technology, and phylogenetic analysis methods to provide a high-availability, large-scale bioservice. In a case study, we analyze the phylogenetic relationships among Norovirus. Evolutionary relationships are elucidated by aligning different open reading frame sequences. The proposed platform correctly identifies the evolutionary relationships between members of Norovirus.

  14. Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdullah Kilic

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Escherichia coli is a bacterium that is commonly found in the gut of humans and warm-blooded animals. Most strains of E. coli are harmless for human. E. coli O157:H7 is the most common member of a group of pathogenic E. coli strains known variously as enterohaemorrhagic, verocytotoxin-producing, or Shiga-toxin-producing organisms. EHEC bacterium is the major cause of haemorrhagic colitis and haemolytic uraemic syndrome. The reservoir of this pathogen appears to be mainly cattle and other ruminants such as camels. It is transmitted to humans primarily through consumption of contaminated foods. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2011; 10(4.000: 387-388

  15. Ecological and phylogenetic influences on maxillary dentition in snakes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kate Jackson

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available The maxillary dentition of snakes was used as a system with which to investigate the relative importance of the interacting forces of ecological selective pressures and phylogenetic constraints indetermining morphology. The maxillary morphology of three groups of snakes having different diets, with each group comprising two distinct lineages — boids and colubroids — was examined. Our results suggest that dietary selective pressures may be more significantthan phylogenetic history in shaping maxillary morphology.

  16. Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli is the predominant diarrheagenic E. coli pathotype among irrigation water and food sources in South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aijuka, Matthew; Santiago, Araceli E; Girón, Jorge A; Nataro, James P; Buys, Elna M

    2018-08-02

    Diarrheagenic E. coli (DEC) has been implicated in foodborne outbreaks worldwide and have been associated with childhood stunting in the absence of diarrhoea. Infection is extraordinarily common, but the routes of transmission have not been determined. Therefore, determining the most prevalent pathotypes in food and environmental sources may help provide better guidance to various stakeholders in ensuring food safety and public health and advancing understanding of the epidemiology of enteric disease. We characterized 205 E. coli strains previously isolated from producer distributor bulk milk (PDBM)(118), irrigation water (48), irrigated lettuce (29) and street vendor coleslaw (10) in South Africa. Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) and diffusely adherent E. coli (DAEC) were sought. We used PCR and partial gene sequencing for all 205 strains while 46 out of 205 that showed poor resolution were subsequently characterized using cell adherence (HeLa cells). PCR and partial gene sequencing of aatA and/or aaiC genes confirmed EAEC (2%, 5 out of 205) as the only pathotype. Phylogenetic analysis of sequenced EAEC strains with E. coli strains in GenBank showing ≥80% nucleotide sequence similarity based on possession of aaiC and aatA generated distinct clusters of strains separated predominantly based on their source of isolation (food source or human stool) suggesting a potential role of virulence genes in source tracking. EAEC 24%, 11 out of 46 strains (PDBM = 15%, irrigation water = 7%, irrigated lettuce = 2%) was similarly the predominant pathotype followed by strains showing invasiveness to HeLa cells, 4%, 2 out of 46 (PDBM = 2%, irrigated lettuce = 2%), among stains characterized using cell adherence. Therefore, EAEC may be the leading cause of DEC associated food and water-borne enteric infection in South Africa. Additionally, solely using molecular based methods targeting virulence

  17. Multidrug-Resistant and Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli in Dutch Surface Water and Wastewater.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hetty Blaak

    Full Text Available The goal of the current study was to gain insight into the prevalence and concentrations of antimicrobial resistant (AMR Escherichia coli in Dutch surface water, and to explore the role of wastewater as AMR contamination source.The prevalence of AMR E. coli was determined in 113 surface water samples obtained from 30 different water bodies, and in 33 wastewater samples obtained at five health care institutions (HCIs, seven municipal wastewater treatment plants (mWWTPs, and an airport WWTP. Overall, 846 surface water and 313 wastewater E. coli isolates were analysed with respect to susceptibility to eight antimicrobials (representing seven different classes: ampicillin, cefotaxime, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, and chloramphenicol.Among surface water isolates, 26% were resistant to at least one class of antimicrobials, and 11% were multidrug-resistant (MDR. In wastewater, the proportions of AMR/MDR E. coli were 76%/62% at HCIs, 69%/19% at the airport WWTP, and 37%/27% and 31%/20% in mWWTP influents and effluents, respectively. Median concentrations of MDR E. coli were 2.2×10(2, 4.0×10(4, 1.8×10(7, and 4.1×10(7 cfu/l in surface water, WWTP effluents, WWTP influents and HCI wastewater, respectively. The different resistance types occurred with similar frequencies among E. coli from surface water and E. coli from municipal wastewater. By contrast, among E. coli from HCI wastewater, resistance to cefotaxime and resistance to ciprofloxacin were significantly overrepresented compared to E. coli from municipal wastewater and surface water. Most cefotaxime-resistant E. coliisolates produced ESBL. In two of the mWWTP, ESBL-producing variants were detected that were identical with respect to phylogenetic group, sequence type, AMR-profile, and ESBL-genotype to variants from HCI wastewater discharged onto the same sewer and sampled on the same day (A1/ST23/CTX-M-1, B23/ST131/CTX-M-15, D2/ST405/CTX-M-15.In

  18. Phylogenetic system and zoogeography of the Plecoptera.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zwick, P

    2000-01-01

    Information about the phylogenetic relationships of Plecoptera is summarized. The few characters supporting monophyly of the order are outlined. Several characters of possible significance for the search for the closest relatives of the stoneflies are discussed, but the sister-group of the order remains unknown. Numerous characters supporting the presently recognized phylogenetic system of Plecoptera are presented, alternative classifications are discussed, and suggestions for future studies are made. Notes on zoogeography are appended. The order as such is old (Permian fossils), but phylogenetic relationships and global distribution patterns suggest that evolution of the extant suborders started with the breakup of Pangaea. There is evidence of extensive recent speciation in all parts of the world.

  19. Phylogenetic relationships among Maloideae species

    Science.gov (United States)

    The Maloideae is a highly diverse sub-family of the Rosaceae containing several agronomically important species (Malus sp. and Pyrus sp.) and their wild relatives. Previous phylogenetic work within the group has revealed extensive intergeneric hybridization and polyploidization. In order to develop...

  20. Phylogenetic congruence and ecological coherence in terrestrial Thaumarchaeota.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oton, Eduard Vico; Quince, Christopher; Nicol, Graeme W; Prosser, James I; Gubry-Rangin, Cécile

    2016-01-01

    Thaumarchaeota form a ubiquitously distributed archaeal phylum, comprising both the ammonia-oxidising archaea (AOA) and other archaeal groups in which ammonia oxidation has not been demonstrated (including Group 1.1c and Group 1.3). The ecology of AOA in terrestrial environments has been extensively studied using either a functional gene, encoding ammonia monooxygenase subunit A (amoA) or 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, which show phylogenetic coherence with respect to soil pH. To test phylogenetic congruence between these two markers and to determine ecological coherence in all Thaumarchaeota, we performed high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA and amoA genes in 46 UK soils presenting 29 available contextual soil characteristics. Adaptation to pH and organic matter content reflected strong ecological coherence at various levels of taxonomic resolution for Thaumarchaeota (AOA and non-AOA), whereas nitrogen, total mineralisable nitrogen and zinc concentration were also important factors associated with AOA thaumarchaeotal community distribution. Other significant associations with environmental factors were also detected for amoA and 16S rRNA genes, reflecting different diversity characteristics between these two markers. Nonetheless, there was significant statistical congruence between the markers at fine phylogenetic resolution, supporting the hypothesis of low horizontal gene transfer between Thaumarchaeota. Group 1.1c Thaumarchaeota were also widely distributed, with two clusters predominating, particularly in environments with higher moisture content and organic matter, whereas a similar ecological pattern was observed for Group 1.3 Thaumarchaeota. The ecological and phylogenetic congruence identified is fundamental to understand better the life strategies, evolutionary history and ecosystem function of the Thaumarchaeota.

  1. Characterization of Cefotaxime- and Ciprofloxacin-Resistant Commensal Escherichia coli Originating from Belgian Farm Animals Indicates High Antibiotic Resistance Transfer Rates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lambrecht, Ellen; Van Meervenne, Eva; Boon, Nico; Van de Wiele, Tom; Wattiau, Pierre; Herman, Lieve; Heyndrickx, Marc; Van Coillie, Els

    2017-11-17

    Food-producing animals represent one of the sources of antibiotic resistant commensal bacteria. There is an increasing awareness that these bacteria might have the potential to transfer their resistance genes to other (pathogenic) bacteria. In this study, 50 commensal Escherichia coli strains originating from food-producing animals and resistant to the "highest priority, critically important antibiotics" cefotaxime and/or ciprofloxacin, were selected for further characterization. For each strain (i) an antibiogram, (ii) the phylogenetic group, (iii) plasmid replicon type, (iv) presence and identification of integrons, and (v) antibiotic resistance transfer ratios were determined. Forty-five of these strains were resistant to 5 or more antibiotics, and 6 strains were resistant to 10 or more antibiotics. Resistance was most common to ampicillin (100%), sulfamethoxazole, ciprofloxacin (82%), trimethoprim, tetracycline (74%), cefotaxime, (70%) and ceftazidime (62%). Phylogenetic groups A (62%) and B1 (26%) were most common, followed by C (8%) and E (4%). In 43 strains, more than 1 replicon type was detected, with FII (88%), FIB (70%), and I1 (48%) being the most encountered types. Forty strains, positive for integrons, all harbored a class I integron and seven of them contained an additional class II integron. No class III integrons were detected. The antibiotic resistance transfer was assessed by liquid mating experiments. The transfer ratio, expressed as the number of transconjugants per recipient, was between 10 -5 and 10 0 for cefotaxime resistance and between 10 -7 and 10 -1 for ciprofloxacin resistance. The results of the current study prove that commensal E. coli in food-production animals can be a source of multiple resistance genes and that these bacteria can easily spread their ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime resistance.

  2. Phylogenetic turnover during subtropical forest succession across environmental and phylogenetic scales.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Purschke, Oliver; Michalski, Stefan G; Bruelheide, Helge; Durka, Walter

    2017-12-01

    Although spatial and temporal patterns of phylogenetic community structure during succession are inherently interlinked and assembly processes vary with environmental and phylogenetic scales, successional studies of community assembly have yet to integrate spatial and temporal components of community structure, while accounting for scaling issues. To gain insight into the processes that generate biodiversity after disturbance, we combine analyses of spatial and temporal phylogenetic turnover across phylogenetic scales, accounting for covariation with environmental differences. We compared phylogenetic turnover, at the species- and individual-level, within and between five successional stages, representing woody plant communities in a subtropical forest chronosequence. We decomposed turnover at different phylogenetic depths and assessed its covariation with between-plot abiotic differences. Phylogenetic turnover between stages was low relative to species turnover and was not explained by abiotic differences. However, within the late-successional stages, there was high presence-/absence-based turnover (clustering) that occurred deep in the phylogeny and covaried with environmental differentiation. Our results support a deterministic model of community assembly where (i) phylogenetic composition is constrained through successional time, but (ii) toward late succession, species sorting into preferred habitats according to niche traits that are conserved deep in phylogeny, becomes increasingly important.

  3. Characterization of two new CTX-M-25-group extended-spectrum β-lactamase variants identified in Escherichia coli isolates from Israel.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jascha Vervoort

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: We characterized two new CTX-M-type extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL variants in Escherichia coli isolates from stool samples of two elderly patients admitted at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Israel. Both patients underwent treatment with cephalosporins prior to isolation of the E. coli strains. METHODS: ESBLs were detected by the double-disk synergy test and PCR-sequencing of β-lactamase genes. The bla(CTX-M genes were cloned into the pCR-BluntII-TOPO vector in E. coli TOP10. The role of amino-acid substitutions V77A and D240G was analyzed by site-directed mutagenesis of the bla(CTX-M-94 and bla(CTX-M-100 genes and comparative characterization of the resulting E. coli recombinants. MICs of β-lactams were determined by Etest. Plasmid profiling, mating experiments, replicon typing and sequencing of bla(CTX-M flanking regions were performed to identify the genetic background of the new CTX-M variants. RESULTS: The novel CTX-M β-lactamases, CTX-M-94 and -100, belonged to the CTX-M-25-group. Both variants differed from CTX-M-25 by the substitution V77A, and from CTX-M-39 by D240G. CTX-M-94 differed from all CTX-M-25-group enzymes by the substitution F119L. Glycine-240 was associated with reduced susceptibility to ceftazidime and leucine-119 with increased resistance to ceftriaxone. bla(CTX-M-94 and bla(CTX-M-100 were located within ISEcp1 transposition units inserted into ∼93 kb non-conjugative IncFI and ∼130 kb conjugative IncA/C plasmids, respectively. The plasmids carried also different class 1 integrons. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report on CTX-M-94 and -100 ESBLs, novel members of the CTX-M-25-group.

  4. New insights on the phylogenetic relationships among the traditional Philodendron subgenera and the other groups of the Homalomena clade (Araceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasconcelos, Santelmo; Soares, Maria de Lourdes; Sakuragui, Cássia M; Croat, Thomas B; Oliveira, Guilherme; Benko-Iseppon, Ana M

    2018-05-19

    Philodendron (Araceae) is one of the largest Neotropical plant genera, with approximately 500 species and at least 1000 species predicted. There is a considerable ecological diversity in the group, although most species occur in the humid forests of tropical America. Despite being relatively well-studied in taxonomic analyses, the relationships among the traditional morphological groups of the genus are not well-established, mainly regarding the three traditional subgenera, referred here as Philodendron sensu lato (s.l.), P. subg. Pteromischum, P. subg. Philodendron and P. subg. Meconostigma, which was recently recognized as a separate genus, Thaumatophyllum. Therefore, the present work evaluates the phylogenetic position and the monophyly of Philodendron s.l. and its three main subdivisions, and the sister groups within the Homalomena clade, which also includes the Neotropical genus Adelonema, the two Asian genera Homalomena and Furtadoa, and the two African genera Cercestis and Culcasia, by means of molecular phylogenetic approaches including chloroplast DNA (atpF-atpH, rpl32-trnL, trnQ-5'-rps16 and trnV-ndhC) and nuclear (ITS2) markers. The monophyly of Philodendron s.l. and its three lineages is confirmed and our analyses corroborate previous morphologic data indicating Thaumatophyllum as sister to the clade formed by P. subg. Pteromischum and P. subg. Philodendron. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Distribution of serine protease autotransporters of Enterobacteriaceae in typical and atypical enteroaggregative Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrade, Fernanda B; Abreu, Afonso G; Nunes, Kamila O; Gomes, Tânia A T; Piazza, Roxane M F; Elias, Waldir P

    2017-06-01

    Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) is an agent of acute and persistent diarrhea worldwide, categorized in typical or atypical subgroups. Some EAEC virulence factors are members of the serine protease autotransporters of Enterobacteriaceae (SPATE). The presence of SPATE-encoding genes of different E. coli pathotypes was searched in a large collection of EAEC strains, and a possible association between SPATEs and E. coli phylogroups was investigated. Among 108 typical and 85 atypical EAEC, pic was the most prevalent gene, detected in 47.1% of the strains, followed by sat (24.3%), espI (21.2%), pet (19.2%), sepA (13.5%), sigA (4.1%), eatA (4.1%), vat (1.0%), espP and tsh, detected in one strain (0.5%) each; while epeA and espC were not detected. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that 39.9% of the strains belonged to group A, 23.3% to B1, 10.9% to B2, 7.8% to D, 8.8% to E and 1.5% to F. The majority of the SPATE genes were distributed in typical and atypical strains without association with any phylogroup. In addition, pic and pet were strongly associated with typical EAEC and sepA was detected in close association with atypical EAEC. Our data indicate that SPATEs may represent important virulence traits in both subgroups of EAEC. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Molecular phylogenetics of porcini mushrooms (Boletus section Boletus).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dentinger, Bryn T M; Ammirati, Joseph F; Both, Ernst E; Desjardin, Dennis E; Halling, Roy E; Henkel, Terry W; Moreau, Pierre-Arthur; Nagasawa, Eiji; Soytong, Kasem; Taylor, Andy F; Watling, Roy; Moncalvo, Jean-Marc; McLaughlin, David J

    2010-12-01

    Porcini (Boletus section Boletus: Boletaceae: Boletineae: Boletales) are a conspicuous group of wild, edible mushrooms characterized by fleshy fruiting bodies with a poroid hymenophore that is "stuffed" with white hyphae when young. Their reported distribution is with ectomycorrhizal plants throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Little progress has been made on the systematics of this group using modern molecular phylogenetic tools because sampling has been limited primarily to European species and the genes employed were insufficient to resolve the phylogeny. We examined the evolutionary history of porcini by using a global geographic sampling of most known species, new discoveries from little explored areas, and multiple genes. We used 78 sequences from the fast-evolving nuclear internal transcribed spacers and are able to recognize 18 reciprocally monophyletic species. To address whether or not porcini form a monophyletic group, we compiled a broadly sampled dataset of 41 taxa, including other members of the Boletineae, and used separate and combined phylogenetic analysis of sequences from the nuclear large subunit ribosomal DNA, the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II, and the mitochondrial ATPase subunit six gene. Contrary to previous studies, our separate and combined phylogenetic analyses support the monophyly of porcini. We also report the discovery of two taxa that expand the known distribution of porcini to Australia and Thailand and have ancient phylogenetic connections to the rest of the group. A relaxed molecular clock analysis with these new taxa dates the origin of porcini to between 42 and 54 million years ago, coinciding with the initial diversification of angiosperms, during the Eocene epoch when the climate was warm and humid. These results reveal an unexpected diversity, distribution, and ancient origin of a group of commercially valuable mushrooms that may provide an economic incentive for conservation and support the hypothesis of a tropical

  7. Cloning and sequence analysis of a partial CDS of leptospiral ligA gene in pET-32a - Escherichia coli DH5α system

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    Manju Soman

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Aim: This study aims at cloning, sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis of a partial CDS of ligA gene in pET-32a - Escherichia coli DH5α system, with the objective of identifying the conserved nature of the ligA gene in the genus Leptospira. Materials and Methods: A partial CDS (nucleotide 1873 to nucleotide 3363 of the ligA gene was amplified from genomic DNA of Leptospira interrogans serovar Canicola by polymerase chain reaction (PCR. The PCR-amplified DNA was cloned into pET-32a vector and transformed into competent E. coli DH5α bacterial cells. The partial ligA gene insert was sequenced and the nucleotide sequences obtained were aligned with the published ligA gene sequences of other Leptospira serovars, using nucleotide BLAST, NCBI. Phylogenetic analysis of the gene sequence was done by maximum likelihood method using Mega 6.06 software. Results: The PCR could amplify the 1491 nucleotide sequence spanning from nucleotide 1873 to nucleotide 3363 of the ligA gene and the partial ligA gene could be successfully cloned in E. coli DH5α cells. The nucleotide sequence when analyzed for homology with the reported gene sequences of other Leptospira serovars was found to have 100% homology to the 1910 bp to 3320 bp sequence of ligA gene of L. interrogans strain Kito serogroup Canicola. The predicted protein consisted of 470 aminoacids. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the ligA gene was conserved in L. interrogans species. Conclusion: The partial ligA gene could be successfully cloned and sequenced from E. coli DH5α cells. The sequence showed 100% homology to the published ligA gene sequences. The phylogenetic analysis revealed the conserved nature of the ligA gene. Further studies on the expression and immunogenicity of the partial LigA protein need to be carried out to determine its competence as a subunit vaccine candidate.

  8. An evolutionary analysis of genome expansion and pathogenicity in Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bohlin, Jon; Brynildsrud, Ola B; Sekse, Camilla; Snipen, Lars

    2014-10-09

    There are several studies describing loss of genes through reductive evolution in microbes, but how selective forces are associated with genome expansion due to horizontal gene transfer (HGT) has not received similar attention. The aim of this study was therefore to examine how selective pressures influence genome expansion in 53 fully sequenced and assembled Escherichia coli strains. We also explored potential connections between genome expansion and the attainment of virulence factors. This was performed using estimations of several genomic parameters such as AT content, genomic drift (measured using relative entropy), genome size and estimated HGT size, which were subsequently compared to analogous parameters computed from the core genome consisting of 1729 genes common to the 53 E. coli strains. Moreover, we analyzed how selective pressures (quantified using relative entropy and dN/dS), acting on the E. coli core genome, influenced lineage and phylogroup formation. Hierarchical clustering of dS and dN estimations from the E. coli core genome resulted in phylogenetic trees with topologies in agreement with known E. coli taxonomy and phylogroups. High values of dS, compared to dN, indicate that the E. coli core genome has been subjected to substantial purifying selection over time; significantly more than the non-core part of the genome (pcoli genome size correlated with estimated HGT size (pcoli are largely attained through HGT. No associations were found between selective pressures operating on the E. coli core genome, as estimated using relative entropy, and genome size (p~0.98). On a larger time frame, genome expansion in E. coli, which is significantly associated with the acquisition of virulence factors, appears to be independent of selective forces operating on the core genome.

  9. Novel Method To Identify Source-Associated Phylogenetic Clustering Shows that Listeria monocytogenes Includes Niche-Adapted Clonal Groups with Distinct Ecological Preferences

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nightingale, K. K.; Lyles, K.; Ayodele, M.

    2006-01-01

    population are identified (TreeStats test). Analysis of sequence data for 120 L. monocytogenes isolates revealed evidence of clustering between isolates from the same source, based on the phylogenies inferred from actA and inlA (P = 0.02 and P = 0.07, respectively; SourceCluster test). Overall, the Tree...... are biologically valid. Overall, our data show that (i) the SourceCluster and TreeStats tests can identify biologically meaningful source-associated phylogenetic clusters and (ii) L. monocytogenes includes clonal groups that have adapted to infect specific host species or colonize nonhost environments......., including humans, animals, and food. If the null hypothesis that the genetic distances for isolates within and between source populations are identical can be rejected (SourceCluster test), then particular clades in the phylogenetic tree with significant overrepresentation of sequences from a given source...

  10. A Multi-Country Cross-Sectional Study of Vaginal Carriage of Group B Streptococci (GBS and Escherichia coli in Resource-Poor Settings: Prevalences and Risk Factors.

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    Piet Cools

    Full Text Available One million neonates die each year in low- and middle-income countries because of neonatal sepsis; group B Streptococcus (GBS and Escherichia coli are the leading causes. In sub-Saharan Africa, epidemiological data on vaginal GBS and E. coli carriage, a prerequisite for GBS and E. coli neonatal sepsis, respectively, are scarce but necessary to design and implement prevention strategies. Therefore, we assessed vaginal GBS and E. coli carriage rates and risk factors and the GBS serotype distribution in three sub-Saharan countries.A total of 430 women from Kenya, Rwanda and South Africa were studied cross-sectionally. Vaginal carriage of GBS and E. coli, and GBS serotype were assessed using molecular techniques. Risk factors for carriage were identified using multivariable logistic regression analysis.Vaginal carriage rates in reference groups from Kenya and South Africa were 20.2% (95% CI, 13.7-28.7% and 23.1% (95% CI, 16.2-31.9%, respectively for GBS; and 25.0% (95% CI, 17.8-33.9% and 27.1% (95% CI, 19.6-36.2%, respectively for E. coli. GBS serotypes Ia (36.8%, V (26.3% and III (14.0% were most prevalent. Factors independently associated with GBS and E. coli carriage were Candida albicans, an intermediate vaginal microbiome, bacterial vaginosis, recent vaginal intercourse, vaginal washing, cervical ectopy and working as a sex worker. GBS and E. coli carriage were positively associated.Reduced vaginal GBS carriage rates might be accomplished by advocating behavioral changes such as abstinence from sexual intercourse and by avoidance of vaginal washing during late pregnancy. It might be advisable to explore the inclusion of vaginal carriage of C. albicans, GBS, E. coli and of the presence of cervical ectopy in a risk- and/or screening-based administration of antibiotic prophylaxis. Current phase II GBS vaccines (a trivalent vaccine targeting serotypes Ia, Ib, and III, and a conjugate vaccine targeting serotype III would not protect the majority of

  11. Molecular phylogenetics of mastodon and Tyrannosaurus rex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Organ, Chris L; Schweitzer, Mary H; Zheng, Wenxia; Freimark, Lisa M; Cantley, Lewis C; Asara, John M

    2008-04-25

    We report a molecular phylogeny for a nonavian dinosaur, extending our knowledge of trait evolution within nonavian dinosaurs into the macromolecular level of biological organization. Fragments of collagen alpha1(I) and alpha2(I) proteins extracted from fossil bones of Tyrannosaurus rex and Mammut americanum (mastodon) were analyzed with a variety of phylogenetic methods. Despite missing sequence data, the mastodon groups with elephant and the T. rex groups with birds, consistent with predictions based on genetic and morphological data for mastodon and on morphological data for T. rex. Our findings suggest that molecular data from long-extinct organisms may have the potential for resolving relationships at critical areas in the vertebrate evolutionary tree that have, so far, been phylogenetically intractable.

  12. Longitudinal characterization of Escherichia coli in healthy captive nonhuman primates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jonathan B Clayton

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available The gastrointestinal (GI tracts of nonhuman primates are well known to harbor Escherichia coli, a known commensal of humans and animals. While E. coli is a normal inhabitant of the mammalian gut, it also exists in a number of pathogenic forms or pathotypes, including those with predisposition for the GI tract, as well the urogenital tract. Diarrhea in captive nonhuman primates (NHPs has long been a problem in both zoo settings and research colonies, including the Como Zoo. It is an animal welfare concern, as well as a public health concern. E. coli has not been extensively studied in correlation with diarrhea in captive primates; therefore, a study was performed during the summer of 2009 in collaboration with a zoo in Saint Paul, MN, which was experiencing an increased incidence and severity of diarrhea among their NHP collection. Fresh fecal samples were collected weekly from each member of the primate collection, between June and August of 2009, and E. coli were isolated. A total of 33 individuals were included in the study, representing eight species. E. coli isolates were examined for their genetic relatedness, phylogenetic relationships, plasmid replicon types, virulence gene profiles, and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles. A number of isolates were identified containing virulence genes commonly found in several different E. coli pathotypes, and there was evidence of clonal transmission of isolates between animals and over time. Overall, the manifestation of chronic diarrhea in the Como Zoo primate collection is a complex problem whose solution will require regular screening for microbial agents and consideration of environmental causes. This study provides some insight towards the sharing of enteric bacteria between such animals.

  13. Zinc concentrations in marine macroalgae and a lichen from western Ireland in relation to phylogenetic grouping, habitat and morphology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stengel, Dagmar B.; Macken, Ailbhe; Morrison, Liam; Morley, Nicholas

    2004-01-01

    Zinc concentrations in 19 species of marine macroalgae and a lichen from western Ireland (Spiddal, Co. Galway) were analysed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Algae were collected from a single site but occupied different shore levels and belonged to distinct phylogenetic groupings and to different (previously recognised) morphological groups. Concentrations ranged from 15-115 μg g -1 dry weight. The greatest variation in concentration occurred amongst the red algal species, containing both maximum and minimum concentrations. Zn concentrations in brown and green algae were generally lower than those in red algae. When grouped according to thallus morphology, thin, branched sheets (which consisted mainly of red algae) contained the highest Zn concentrations. In filamentous algae, Zn levels were higher than in thick-leathery or coarsely branched algae. However, all green algal species examined had similar Zn concentrations, despite their different morphologies. In brown algae, the highest Zn levels were detected in mid-shore fucoids (Fucus vesiculosus and Fucus serratus), while thicker, subtidal and low-shore brown algae (Laminaria digitata, Halydris siliquosa) exhibited lower Zn concentrations. The lowest Zn concentrations were detected in high-intertidal species (Fucus spiralis, Pelvetia canaliculata), the only marine lichen examined (Ramalina siliquosa) and a red crustose alga (Corallina officinalis). In all morphological groups, red algal representatives contained relatively higher levels of Zn, the exception being Corallina officinalis. Zn levels in 4 species from a second, estuarine site in Galway Bay exhibited the same relative differences amongst species, but were all consistently higher than in algae from Spiddal. It is concluded that Zn accumulation in macroalgae is closely related to ecological growth strategies, following a functional-form model. However, the phylogenetic origin of species which determines carbohydrate and phenol composition, and

  14. Zinc concentrations in marine macroalgae and a lichen from western Ireland in relation to phylogenetic grouping, habitat and morphology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stengel, Dagmar B.; Macken, Ailbhe; Morrison, Liam; Morley, Nicholas

    2004-05-01

    Zinc concentrations in 19 species of marine macroalgae and a lichen from western Ireland (Spiddal, Co. Galway) were analysed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Algae were collected from a single site but occupied different shore levels and belonged to distinct phylogenetic groupings and to different (previously recognised) morphological groups. Concentrations ranged from 15-115 {mu}g g{sup -1} dry weight. The greatest variation in concentration occurred amongst the red algal species, containing both maximum and minimum concentrations. Zn concentrations in brown and green algae were generally lower than those in red algae. When grouped according to thallus morphology, thin, branched sheets (which consisted mainly of red algae) contained the highest Zn concentrations. In filamentous algae, Zn levels were higher than in thick-leathery or coarsely branched algae. However, all green algal species examined had similar Zn concentrations, despite their different morphologies. In brown algae, the highest Zn levels were detected in mid-shore fucoids (Fucus vesiculosus and Fucus serratus), while thicker, subtidal and low-shore brown algae (Laminaria digitata, Halydris siliquosa) exhibited lower Zn concentrations. The lowest Zn concentrations were detected in high-intertidal species (Fucus spiralis, Pelvetia canaliculata), the only marine lichen examined (Ramalina siliquosa) and a red crustose alga (Corallina officinalis). In all morphological groups, red algal representatives contained relatively higher levels of Zn, the exception being Corallina officinalis. Zn levels in 4 species from a second, estuarine site in Galway Bay exhibited the same relative differences amongst species, but were all consistently higher than in algae from Spiddal. It is concluded that Zn accumulation in macroalgae is closely related to ecological growth strategies, following a functional-form model. However, the phylogenetic origin of species which determines carbohydrate and phenol composition

  15. On the Quirks of Maximum Parsimony and Likelihood on Phylogenetic Networks

    OpenAIRE

    Bryant, Christopher; Fischer, Mareike; Linz, Simone; Semple, Charles

    2015-01-01

    Maximum parsimony is one of the most frequently-discussed tree reconstruction methods in phylogenetic estimation. However, in recent years it has become more and more apparent that phylogenetic trees are often not sufficient to describe evolution accurately. For instance, processes like hybridization or lateral gene transfer that are commonplace in many groups of organisms and result in mosaic patterns of relationships cannot be represented by a single phylogenetic tree. This is why phylogene...

  16. Evolutionary patterns of Escherichia coli small RNAs and their regulatory interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peer, Asaf; Margalit, Hanah

    2014-07-01

    Most bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs) are post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression, exerting their regulatory function by base-pairing with their target mRNAs. While it has become evident that sRNAs play central regulatory roles in the cell, little is known about their evolution and the evolution of their regulatory interactions. Here we used the prokaryotic phylogenetic tree to reconstruct the evolutionary history of Escherichia coli sRNAs and their binding sites on target mRNAs. We discovered that sRNAs currently present in E. coli mainly accumulated inside the Enterobacteriales order, succeeding the appearance of other types of noncoding RNAs and concurrently with the evolution of a variant of the Hfq protein exhibiting a longer C-terminal region. Our analysis of the evolutionary ages of sRNA-mRNA interactions revealed that while all sRNAs were evolutionarily older than most of their known binding sites on mRNA targets, for quite a few sRNAs there was at least one binding site that coappeared with or preceded them. It is conceivable that the establishment of these first interactions forced selective pressure on the sRNAs, after which additional targets were acquired by fitting a binding site to the active region of the sRNA. This conjecture is supported by the appearance of many binding sites on target mRNAs only after the sRNA gain, despite the prior presence of the target gene in ancestral genomes. Our results suggest a selective mechanism that maintained the sRNAs across the phylogenetic tree, and shed light on the evolution of E. coli post-transcriptional regulatory network. © 2014 Peer and Margalit; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press for the RNA Society.

  17. Application of agglomerative clustering for analyzing phylogenetically on bacterium of saliva

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bustamam, A.; Fitria, I.; Umam, K.

    2017-07-01

    Analyzing population of Streptococcus bacteria is important since these species can cause dental caries, periodontal, halitosis (bad breath) and more problems. This paper will discuss the phylogenetically relation between the bacterium Streptococcus in saliva using a phylogenetic tree of agglomerative clustering methods. Starting with the bacterium Streptococcus DNA sequence obtained from the GenBank, then performed characteristic extraction of DNA sequences. The characteristic extraction result is matrix form, then performed normalization using min-max normalization and calculate genetic distance using Manhattan distance. Agglomerative clustering technique consisting of single linkage, complete linkage and average linkage. In this agglomerative algorithm number of group is started with the number of individual species. The most similar species is grouped until the similarity decreases and then formed a single group. Results of grouping is a phylogenetic tree and branches that join an established level of distance, that the smaller the distance the more the similarity of the larger species implementation is using R, an open source program.

  18. BIMLR: a method for constructing rooted phylogenetic networks from rooted phylogenetic trees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Juan; Guo, Maozu; Xing, Linlin; Che, Kai; Liu, Xiaoyan; Wang, Chunyu

    2013-09-15

    Rooted phylogenetic trees constructed from different datasets (e.g. from different genes) are often conflicting with one another, i.e. they cannot be integrated into a single phylogenetic tree. Phylogenetic networks have become an important tool in molecular evolution, and rooted phylogenetic networks are able to represent conflicting rooted phylogenetic trees. Hence, the development of appropriate methods to compute rooted phylogenetic networks from rooted phylogenetic trees has attracted considerable research interest of late. The CASS algorithm proposed by van Iersel et al. is able to construct much simpler networks than other available methods, but it is extremely slow, and the networks it constructs are dependent on the order of the input data. Here, we introduce an improved CASS algorithm, BIMLR. We show that BIMLR is faster than CASS and less dependent on the input data order. Moreover, BIMLR is able to construct much simpler networks than almost all other methods. BIMLR is available at http://nclab.hit.edu.cn/wangjuan/BIMLR/. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Molecular characterization and phylogenetic relationships among ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Molecular characterization and phylogenetic relationships among and within species of Phalaenopsis (Epidendroideae: Orchidaceae) based on RAPD analysis. ... Ph. parishii, Ph. labbi nepal, Ph. speciosa, Ph. lobbi yellow, Ph. venosa, Ph. hieroglyphica, and Ph. maculata; the third group consisted of Ph. minho princess, ...

  20. Clustering of water bodies in unpolluted and polluted environments based on Escherichia coli phylogroup abundance using a simple interaction database

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nancy de Castro Stoppe

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Different types of water bodies, including lakes, streams, and coastal marine waters, are often susceptible to fecal contamination from a range of point and nonpoint sources, and have been evaluated using fecal indicator microorganisms. The most commonly used fecal indicator is Escherichia coli, but traditional cultivation methods do not allow discrimination of the source of pollution. The use of triplex PCR offers an approach that is fast and inexpensive, and here enabled the identification of phylogroups. The phylogenetic distribution of E. coli subgroups isolated from water samples revealed higher frequencies of subgroups A1 and B2(3 in rivers impacted by human pollution sources, while subgroups D1 and D2 were associated with pristine sites, and subgroup B1 with domesticated animal sources, suggesting their use as a first screening for pollution source identification. A simple classification is also proposed based on phylogenetic subgroup distribution using the w-clique metric, enabling differentiation of polluted and unpolluted sites.

  1. AST: an automated sequence-sampling method for improving the taxonomic diversity of gene phylogenetic trees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Chan; Mao, Fenglou; Yin, Yanbin; Huang, Jinling; Gogarten, Johann Peter; Xu, Ying

    2014-01-01

    A challenge in phylogenetic inference of gene trees is how to properly sample a large pool of homologous sequences to derive a good representative subset of sequences. Such a need arises in various applications, e.g. when (1) accuracy-oriented phylogenetic reconstruction methods may not be able to deal with a large pool of sequences due to their high demand in computing resources; (2) applications analyzing a collection of gene trees may prefer to use trees with fewer operational taxonomic units (OTUs), for instance for the detection of horizontal gene transfer events by identifying phylogenetic conflicts; and (3) the pool of available sequences is biased towards extensively studied species. In the past, the creation of subsamples often relied on manual selection. Here we present an Automated sequence-Sampling method for improving the Taxonomic diversity of gene phylogenetic trees, AST, to obtain representative sequences that maximize the taxonomic diversity of the sampled sequences. To demonstrate the effectiveness of AST, we have tested it to solve four problems, namely, inference of the evolutionary histories of the small ribosomal subunit protein S5 of E. coli, 16 S ribosomal RNAs and glycosyl-transferase gene family 8, and a study of ancient horizontal gene transfers from bacteria to plants. Our results show that the resolution of our computational results is almost as good as that of manual inference by domain experts, hence making the tool generally useful to phylogenetic studies by non-phylogeny specialists. The program is available at http://csbl.bmb.uga.edu/~zhouchan/AST.php.

  2. Molecular Phylogenetic: Organism Taxonomy Method Based on Evolution History

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N.L.P Indi Dharmayanti

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Phylogenetic is described as taxonomy classification of an organism based on its evolution history namely its phylogeny and as a part of systematic science that has objective to determine phylogeny of organism according to its characteristic. Phylogenetic analysis from amino acid and protein usually became important area in sequence analysis. Phylogenetic analysis can be used to follow the rapid change of a species such as virus. The phylogenetic evolution tree is a two dimensional of a species graphic that shows relationship among organisms or particularly among their gene sequences. The sequence separation are referred as taxa (singular taxon that is defined as phylogenetically distinct units on the tree. The tree consists of outer branches or leaves that represents taxa and nodes and branch represent correlation among taxa. When the nucleotide sequence from two different organism are similar, they were inferred to be descended from common ancestor. There were three methods which were used in phylogenetic, namely (1 Maximum parsimony, (2 Distance, and (3 Maximum likehoood. Those methods generally are applied to construct the evolutionary tree or the best tree for determine sequence variation in group. Every method is usually used for different analysis and data.

  3. Gene encoding virulence markers among Escherichia coli isolates ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    River water sources and diarrhoeic stools of residents in the Venda Region, Limpopo Province of South Africa were analysed for the prevalence of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and the presence of virulence genes among the isolates. A control group of 100 nondiarrhoeic stool samples was included. Escherichia coli was ...

  4. Is invasion success of Australian trees mediated by their native biogeography, phylogenetic history, or both?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Joseph T; Hui, Cang; Thornhill, Andrew; Gallien, Laure; Le Roux, Johannes J; Richardson, David M

    2016-12-30

    For a plant species to become invasive it has to progress along the introduction-naturalization-invasion (INI) continuum which reflects the joint direction of niche breadth. Identification of traits that correlate with and drive species invasiveness along the continuum is a major focus of invasion biology. If invasiveness is underlain by heritable traits, and if such traits are phylogenetically conserved, then we would expect non-native species with different introduction status (i.e. position along the INI continuum) to show phylogenetic signal. This study uses two clades that contain a large number of invasive tree species from the genera Acacia and Eucalyptus to test whether geographic distribution and a novel phylogenetic conservation method can predict which species have been introduced, became naturalized, and invasive. Our results suggest that no underlying phylogenetic signal underlie the introduction status for both groups of trees, except for introduced acacias. The more invasive acacia clade contains invasive species that have smoother geographic distributions and are more marginal in the phylogenetic network. The less invasive eucalyptus group contains invasive species that are more clustered geographically, more centrally located in the phylogenetic network and have phylogenetic distances between invasive and non-invasive species that are trending toward the mean pairwise distance. This suggests that highly invasive groups may be identified because they have invasive species with smoother and faster expanding native distributions and are located more to the edges of phylogenetic networks than less invasive groups. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company.

  5. Mosasauroid phylogeny under multiple phylogenetic methods provides new insights on the evolution of aquatic adaptations in the group.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tiago R Simões

    Full Text Available Mosasauroids were a successful lineage of squamate reptiles (lizards and snakes that radiated during the Late Cretaceous (95-66 million years ago. They can be considered one of the few lineages in the evolutionary history of tetrapods to have acquired a fully aquatic lifestyle, similarly to whales, ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs. Despite a long history of research on this group, their phylogenetic relationships have only been tested so far using traditional (unweighted maximum parsimony. However, hypotheses of mosasauroid relationships and the recently proposed multiple origins of aquatically adapted pelvic and pedal features in this group can be more thoroughly tested by methods that take into account variation in branch lengths and evolutionary rates. In this study, we present the first mosasauroid phylogenetic analysis performed under different analytical methods, including maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference, and implied weighting maximum parsimony. The results indicate a lack of congruence in the topological position of halisaurines and Dallasaurus. Additionally, the genus Prognathodon is paraphyletic under all hypotheses. Interestingly, a number of traditional mosasauroid clades become weakly supported, or unresolved, under Bayesian analyses. The reduced resolutions in some consensus trees create ambiguities concerning the evolution of fully aquatic pelvic/pedal conditions under many analyses. However, when enough resolution was obtained, reversals of the pelvic/pedal conditions were favoured by parsimony and likelihood ancestral state reconstructions instead of independent origins of aquatic features in mosasauroids. It is concluded that most of the observed discrepancies among the results can be associated with different analytical procedures, but also due to limited postcranial data on halisaurines, yaguarasaurines and Dallasaurus.

  6. Mosasauroid phylogeny under multiple phylogenetic methods provides new insights on the evolution of aquatic adaptations in the group

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vernygora, Oksana; Paparella, Ilaria; Jimenez-Huidobro, Paulina; Caldwell, Michael W.

    2017-01-01

    Mosasauroids were a successful lineage of squamate reptiles (lizards and snakes) that radiated during the Late Cretaceous (95–66 million years ago). They can be considered one of the few lineages in the evolutionary history of tetrapods to have acquired a fully aquatic lifestyle, similarly to whales, ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs. Despite a long history of research on this group, their phylogenetic relationships have only been tested so far using traditional (unweighted) maximum parsimony. However, hypotheses of mosasauroid relationships and the recently proposed multiple origins of aquatically adapted pelvic and pedal features in this group can be more thoroughly tested by methods that take into account variation in branch lengths and evolutionary rates. In this study, we present the first mosasauroid phylogenetic analysis performed under different analytical methods, including maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference, and implied weighting maximum parsimony. The results indicate a lack of congruence in the topological position of halisaurines and Dallasaurus. Additionally, the genus Prognathodon is paraphyletic under all hypotheses. Interestingly, a number of traditional mosasauroid clades become weakly supported, or unresolved, under Bayesian analyses. The reduced resolutions in some consensus trees create ambiguities concerning the evolution of fully aquatic pelvic/pedal conditions under many analyses. However, when enough resolution was obtained, reversals of the pelvic/pedal conditions were favoured by parsimony and likelihood ancestral state reconstructions instead of independent origins of aquatic features in mosasauroids. It is concluded that most of the observed discrepancies among the results can be associated with different analytical procedures, but also due to limited postcranial data on halisaurines, yaguarasaurines and Dallasaurus. PMID:28467456

  7. Development of a Web Tool for Escherichia coli Subtyping Based on fimH Alleles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roer, Louise; Tchesnokova, Veronika; Allesøe, Rosa; Muradova, Mariya; Chattopadhyay, Sujay; Ahrenfeldt, Johanne; Thomsen, Martin C F; Lund, Ole; Hansen, Frank; Hammerum, Anette M; Sokurenko, Evgeni; Hasman, Henrik

    2017-08-01

    The aim of this study was to construct a valid publicly available method for in silico fimH subtyping of Escherichia coli particularly suitable for differentiation of fine-resolution subgroups within clonal groups defined by standard multilocus sequence typing (MLST). FimTyper was constructed as a FASTA database containing all currently known fimH alleles. The software source code is publicly available at https://bitbucket.org/genomicepidemiology/fimtyper, the database is freely available at https://bitbucket.org/genomicepidemiology/fimtyper_db, and a service implementing the software is available at https://cge.cbs.dtu.dk/services/FimTyper FimTyper was validated on three data sets: one containing Sanger sequences of fimH alleles of 42 E. coli isolates generated prior to the current study (data set 1), one containing whole-genome sequence (WGS) data of 243 third-generation-cephalosporin-resistant E. coli isolates (data set 2), and one containing a randomly chosen subset of 40 E. coli isolates from data set 2 that were subjected to conventional fimH subtyping (data set 3). The combination of the three data sets enabled an evaluation and comparison of FimTyper on both Sanger sequences and WGS data. FimTyper correctly predicted all 42 fimH subtypes from the Sanger sequences from data set 1 and successfully analyzed all 243 draft genomes from data set 2. FimTyper subtyping of the Sanger sequences and WGS data from data set 3 were in complete agreement. Additionally, fimH subtyping was evaluated on a phylogenetic network of 122 sequence type 131 (ST131) E. coli isolates. There was perfect concordance between the typology and fimH -based subclones within ST131, with accurate identification of the pandemic multidrug-resistant clonal subgroup ST131- H 30. FimTyper provides a standardized tool, as a rapid alternative to conventional fimH subtyping, highly suitable for surveillance and outbreak detection. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

  8. Co-Inheritance Analysis within the Domains of Life Substantially Improves Network Inference by Phylogenetic Profiling.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Junha Shin

    Full Text Available Phylogenetic profiling, a network inference method based on gene inheritance profiles, has been widely used to construct functional gene networks in microbes. However, its utility for network inference in higher eukaryotes has been limited. An improved algorithm with an in-depth understanding of pathway evolution may overcome this limitation. In this study, we investigated the effects of taxonomic structures on co-inheritance analysis using 2,144 reference species in four query species: Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Arabidopsis thaliana, and Homo sapiens. We observed three clusters of reference species based on a principal component analysis of the phylogenetic profiles, which correspond to the three domains of life-Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukaryota-suggesting that pathways inherit primarily within specific domains or lower-ranked taxonomic groups during speciation. Hence, the co-inheritance pattern within a taxonomic group may be eroded by confounding inheritance patterns from irrelevant taxonomic groups. We demonstrated that co-inheritance analysis within domains substantially improved network inference not only in microbe species but also in the higher eukaryotes, including humans. Although we observed two sub-domain clusters of reference species within Eukaryota, co-inheritance analysis within these sub-domain taxonomic groups only marginally improved network inference. Therefore, we conclude that co-inheritance analysis within domains is the optimal approach to network inference with the given reference species. The construction of a series of human gene networks with increasing sample sizes of the reference species for each domain revealed that the size of the high-accuracy networks increased as additional reference species genomes were included, suggesting that within-domain co-inheritance analysis will continue to expand human gene networks as genomes of additional species are sequenced. Taken together, we propose that co

  9. Antimicrobial resistance in faecal Escherichia coli isolates from farmed red deer and wild small mammals. Detection of a multiresistant E. coli producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alonso, C A; González-Barrio, D; Tenorio, Carmen; Ruiz-Fons, F; Torres, C

    2016-04-01

    Eighty-nine Escherichia coli isolates recovered from faeces of red deer and small mammals, cohabiting the same area, were analyzed to determine the prevalence and mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance and molecular typing. Antimicrobial resistance was detected in 6.7% of isolates, with resistances to tetracycline and quinolones being the most common. An E. coli strain carrying blaCTX-M-1 as well as other antibiotic resistant genes included in an unusual class 1 integron (Intl1-dfrA16-blaPSE-1-aadA2-cmlA1-aadA1-qacH-IS440-sul3-orf1-mef(B)Δ-IS26) was isolated from a deer. The blaCTX-M-1 gene was transferred by conjugation and transconjugants also acquired an IncN plasmid. This strain was typed as ST224, which seems to be well adapted to both clinical and environmental settings. The phylogenetic distribution of the 89 strains varied depending on the animal host. This work reveals low antimicrobial resistance levels among faecal E. coli from wild mammals, which reflects a lower selective pressure affecting these bacteria, compared to livestock. However, it is remarkable the detection of a multi-resistant ESBL-E. coli with an integron carrying clinically relevant antibiotic-resistance genes, which can contribute to the dissemination of resistance determinants among different ecosystems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Phylogenetic turnover during subtropical forest succession across environmental and phylogenetic scales

    OpenAIRE

    Purschke, Oliver; Michalski, Stefan G.; Bruelheide, Helge; Durka, Walter

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Although spatial and temporal patterns of phylogenetic community structure during succession are inherently interlinked and assembly processes vary with environmental and phylogenetic scales, successional studies of community assembly have yet to integrate spatial and temporal components of community structure, while accounting for scaling issues. To gain insight into the processes that generate biodiversity after disturbance, we combine analyses of spatial and temporal phylogenetic ...

  11. Effects of rooting via out-groups on in-group topology in phylogeny.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ackerman, Margareta; Brown, Daniel G; Loker, David

    2014-01-01

    Users of phylogenetic methods require rooted trees, because the direction of time depends on the placement of the root. While phylogenetic trees are typically rooted by using an out-group, this mechanism is inappropriate when the addition of an out-group changes the in-group topology. We perform a formal analysis of phylogenetic algorithms under the inclusion of distant out-groups. It turns out that linkage-based algorithms (including UPGMA) and a class of bisecting methods do not modify the topology of the in-group when an out-group is included. By contrast, the popular neighbour joining algorithm fails this property in a strong sense: every data set can have its structure destroyed by some arbitrarily distant outlier. Furthermore, including multiple outliers can lead to an arbitrary topology on the in-group. The standard rooting approach that uses out-groups may be fundamentally unsuited for neighbour joining.

  12. The Activity of [60]Fullerene Derivatives Bearing Amine and Carboxylic Solubilizing Groups against Escherichia coli: A Comparative Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dmitry G. Deryabin

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available We report a comparative investigation of the antibacterial activity of two water-soluble fullerene derivatives bearing protonated amine (AF and deprotonated carboxylic (CF groups appended to the fullerene cage via organic linkers. The negatively charged fullerene derivative CF showed no tendency to bind to the bacterial cells and, consequently, no significant antibacterial activity. In contrast, the compound AF loaded with cationic groups showed strong and partially irreversible binding to the negatively charged Escherichia coli K12 TG1 cells and to human erythrocytes, also possessing negative zeta potential. Adsorption of AF on the bacterial surface was visualized by atomic force microscopy revealing the formation of specific clusters (AF aggregates surrounding the bacterial cell. Incubation of E. coli K12 TG1 with AF led to a dose-dependent bactericidal effect with LD50 = 79.1 µM. The presence of human erythrocytes in the test medium decreased the AF antibacterial activity. Thus we reveal that the water-soluble cationic fullerene derivative AF possesses promising antibacterial activity, which might be utilized in the development of novel types of chemical disinfectants.

  13. Virulence characteristics and genetic affinities of multiple drug resistant uropathogenic Escherichia coli from a semi urban locality in India.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Savita Jadhav

    Full Text Available Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC are of significant health concern. The emergence of drug resistant E. coli with high virulence potential is alarming. Lack of sufficient data on transmission dynamics, virulence spectrum and antimicrobial resistance of certain pathogens such as the uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC from countries with high infection burden, such as India, hinders the infection control and management efforts. In this study, we extensively genotyped and phenotyped a collection of 150 UPEC obtained from patients belonging to a semi-urban, industrialized setting near Pune, India. The isolates representing different clinical categories were analyzed in comparison with 50 commensal E. coli isolates from India as well as 50 ExPEC strains from Germany. Virulent strains were identified based on hemolysis, haemagglutination, cell surface hydrophobicity, serum bactericidal activity as well as with the help of O serotyping. We generated antimicrobial resistance profiles for all the clinical isolates and carried out phylogenetic analysis based on repetitive extragenic palindromic (rep-PCR. E. coli from urinary tract infection cases expressed higher percentages of type I (45% and P fimbriae (40% when compared to fecal isolates (25% and 8% respectively. Hemolytic group comprised of 60% of UPEC and only 2% of E. coli from feces. Additionally, we found that serum resistance and cell surface hydrophobicity were not significantly (p = 0.16/p = 0.51 associated with UPEC from clinical cases. Moreover, clinical isolates exhibited highest resistance against amoxicillin (67.3% and least against nitrofurantoin (57.3%. We also observed that 31.3% of UPEC were extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL producers belonging to serotype O25, of which four were also positive for O25b subgroup that is linked to B2-O25b-ST131-CTX-M-15 virulent/multiresistant type. Furthermore, isolates from India and Germany (as well as global sources were found to be

  14. Phylogenetic and biogeographic analysis of sphaerexochine trilobites.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Curtis R Congreve

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Sphaerexochinae is a speciose and widely distributed group of cheirurid trilobites. Their temporal range extends from the earliest Ordovician through the Silurian, and they survived the end Ordovician mass extinction event (the second largest mass extinction in Earth history. Prior to this study, the individual evolutionary relationships within the group had yet to be determined utilizing rigorous phylogenetic methods. Understanding these evolutionary relationships is important for producing a stable classification of the group, and will be useful in elucidating the effects the end Ordovician mass extinction had on the evolutionary and biogeographic history of the group. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Cladistic parsimony analysis of cheirurid trilobites assigned to the subfamily Sphaerexochinae was conducted to evaluate phylogenetic patterns and produce a hypothesis of relationship for the group. This study utilized the program TNT, and the analysis included thirty-one taxa and thirty-nine characters. The results of this analysis were then used in a Lieberman-modified Brooks Parsimony Analysis to analyze biogeographic patterns during the Ordovician-Silurian. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The genus Sphaerexochus was found to be monophyletic, consisting of two smaller clades (one composed entirely of Ordovician species and another composed of Silurian and Ordovician species. By contrast, the genus Kawina was found to be paraphyletic. It is a basal grade that also contains taxa formerly assigned to Cydonocephalus. Phylogenetic patterns suggest Sphaerexochinae is a relatively distinctive trilobite clade because it appears to have been largely unaffected by the end Ordovician mass extinction. Finally, the biogeographic analysis yields two major conclusions about Sphaerexochus biogeography: Bohemia and Avalonia were close enough during the Silurian to exchange taxa; and during the Ordovician there was dispersal between Eastern Laurentia and

  15. Possible sister groups and phylogenetic relationships among selected North Pacific and North Atlantic Rhodophyta

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindstrom, Sandra C.

    1987-09-01

    Although the cool temperate (boreal) waters of the N. Pacific and N. Atlantic share many similar if not identical species, there have been few studies to test the identity of these species pairs. Whereas such tests are important from a taxonomic perspective, they tell us little if anything about biogeographic relationships. A more useful approach is one employing phylogenetic systematics (cladistics). The interpretation of phylogenetic diagrams (cladograms) in terms of biogeographic area relationships is explained. It is argued that cladistic analyses of taxa occurring in the cool temperate waters of the northern oceans can provide biogeographic tracks, which in turn can suggest the origins and migrations of species and possibly even floras. A number of cool temperate taxa that appear particularly amenable to this approach are discussed, including genera in the Palmariaceae, Corallinaceae, Dumontiaceae, Solieriaceae, Petrocelidaceae, Ceramiaceae and Rhodomelaceae.

  16. Phylogenetic networks do not need to be complex: using fewer reticulations to represent conflicting clusters

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Iersel, van L.J.J.; Kelk, S.M.; Rupp, R.; Huson, D.H.

    2010-01-01

    Phylogenetic trees are widely used to display estimates of how groups of species are evolved. Each phylogenetic tree can be seen as a collection of clusters, subgroups of the species that evolved from a common ancestor. When phylogenetic trees are obtained for several datasets (e.g. for different

  17. Comparison of sequence-based and structure-based phylogenetic ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Prakash

    phylogenetic tree construction methods, has been considered as an equivalent of .... Further detailed analysis described is restricted to the first two groups only. ..... Aspartate-ammonia ligase. Plant virus ..... enzymatic activities?; Trends ...

  18. On the quirks of maximum parsimony and likelihood on phylogenetic networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bryant, Christopher; Fischer, Mareike; Linz, Simone; Semple, Charles

    2017-03-21

    Maximum parsimony is one of the most frequently-discussed tree reconstruction methods in phylogenetic estimation. However, in recent years it has become more and more apparent that phylogenetic trees are often not sufficient to describe evolution accurately. For instance, processes like hybridization or lateral gene transfer that are commonplace in many groups of organisms and result in mosaic patterns of relationships cannot be represented by a single phylogenetic tree. This is why phylogenetic networks, which can display such events, are becoming of more and more interest in phylogenetic research. It is therefore necessary to extend concepts like maximum parsimony from phylogenetic trees to networks. Several suggestions for possible extensions can be found in recent literature, for instance the softwired and the hardwired parsimony concepts. In this paper, we analyze the so-called big parsimony problem under these two concepts, i.e. we investigate maximum parsimonious networks and analyze their properties. In particular, we show that finding a softwired maximum parsimony network is possible in polynomial time. We also show that the set of maximum parsimony networks for the hardwired definition always contains at least one phylogenetic tree. Lastly, we investigate some parallels of parsimony to different likelihood concepts on phylogenetic networks. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Phylogenetic signal dissection identifies the root of starfishes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberto Feuda

    Full Text Available Relationships within the class Asteroidea have remained controversial for almost 100 years and, despite many attempts to resolve this problem using molecular data, no consensus has yet emerged. Using two nuclear genes and a taxon sampling covering the major asteroid clades we show that non-phylogenetic signal created by three factors--Long Branch Attraction, compositional heterogeneity and the use of poorly fitting models of evolution--have confounded accurate estimation of phylogenetic relationships. To overcome the effect of this non-phylogenetic signal we analyse the data using non-homogeneous models, site stripping and the creation of subpartitions aimed to reduce or amplify the systematic error, and calculate Bayes Factor support for a selection of previously suggested topological arrangements of asteroid orders. We show that most of the previous alternative hypotheses are not supported in the most reliable data partitions, including the previously suggested placement of either Forcipulatida or Paxillosida as sister group to the other major branches. The best-supported solution places Velatida as the sister group to other asteroids, and the implications of this finding for the morphological evolution of asteroids are presented.

  20. Untangling hybrid phylogenetic signals: horizontal gene transfer and artifacts of phylogenetic reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beiko, Robert G; Ragan, Mark A

    2009-01-01

    Phylogenomic methods can be used to investigate the tangled evolutionary relationships among genomes. Building 'all the trees of all the genes' can potentially identify common pathways of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) among taxa at varying levels of phylogenetic depth. Phylogenetic affinities can be aggregated and merged with the information about genetic linkage and biochemical function to examine hypotheses of adaptive evolution via HGT. Additionally, the use of many genetic data sets increases the power of statistical tests for phylogenetic artifacts. However, large-scale phylogenetic analyses pose several challenges, including the necessary abandonment of manual validation techniques, the need to translate inferred phylogenetic discordance into inferred HGT events, and the challenges involved in aggregating results from search-based inference methods. In this chapter we describe a tree search procedure to recover the most parsimonious pathways of HGT, and examine some of the assumptions that are made by this method.

  1. Next-Generation Sequencing for Typing and Detection of ESBL and MBL E. coli causing UTI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nabakishore Nayak

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Next-generation sequencing (NGS has the potential to provide typing results and detect resistance genes in a single assay, thus guiding timely treatment decisions and allowing rapid tracking of transmission of resistant clones. We can be evaluated the performance of a new NGS assay during an outbreak of sequence type 131 (ST131 Escherichia coli infections in a teaching hospital. The assay will be performed on 100 extended-spectrum- beta-lactamase (ESBL E. coli isolates collected from UTI during last 5 years. Typing results will be compared to those of amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP, whereby we will be visually assessed the agreement of the Bio-Detection phylogenetic tree with clusters defined by AFLP. A microarray will be considered the gold standard for detection of resistance genes. AFLP will be identified a large cluster of different indistinguishable isolates on adjacent departments, indicating clonal spread. The BioDetection phylogenetic tree will be showed that all isolates of this outbreak cluster will be strongly related, while the further arrangement of the tree also largely agreed with other clusters defined by AFLP. With these experiments we will detect the ESBL and MBL strains and the patient can be prescribed the antibiotics accordingly.

  2. Structure of E. coli 16S RNA elucidated by psoralen crosslinking

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thompson, J.F.; Hearst, J.E.

    1983-01-01

    E. coli 16S RNA in solution was photoreacted with hydroxymethyltrimethylpsoralen and long wave ultraviolet light. Positions of crosslinks were determined to high resolution by partially digesting the RNA with T 1 RNase, separating the crosslinked fragments by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, reversing the crosslink, and sequencing the separated fragments. This method yielded the locations of crosslinks to +/-15 nucleotides. Even finer placement has been made on the basis of our knowledge of psoralen reactivity. Thirteen unique crosslinks were mapped. Seven crosslinks confirmed regions of secondary structure which had been predicted in published phylogenetic models, three crosslinks discriminated between phylogenetic models, and three proved the existence of new structures. The new structures were all long-range interactions which appear to be in dynamic equilibrium with local secondary structure. Because this technique yields direct information about the secondary structure of large RNAs, it should prove invaluable in studying the structure of other RNAs of all sizes

  3. Distinctive Gut Microbiota Is Associated with Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli Infections in Chilean Children

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    Pablo Gallardo

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC strains are a major cause of diarrhea in children under 5 years of age worldwide. DEC pathogenicity relies on the interaction of bacteria with environmental factors, including the host's resident gut microbiota. Previous reports have shown changes in the gut microbiota's composition during episodes of diarrhea, which may increase the pathogenicity of DEC strains. More intense and detailed identification of microbiota strains specifically associated with DEC infections and disease is needed to pinpoint their role in DEC pathogenicity.Aim: To identify resident indicative bacterial taxa in DEC-positive diarrhea stool samples of Chilean children.Methods: We analyzed 63 diarrheal stool samples from children 1–5 years of age by FilmArray® GI in order to identify a potential pathogen and to group diarrhea episodes into those caused by DEC as sole pathogen (DEC group, 32 samples and those caused by an enteric virus as sole pathogen (viral group, 31 samples. In addition, 30 stool samples from healthy children, negative for enteric pathogens, were evaluated (healthy group. The 16S rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced using 454 pyrosequencing. Sequences were clustered into operational taxonomic units (OTUs at 99% identity and their representatives were used to assign them to operational phylogenetic units (OPUs using a phylogenetic inference approach.Results: Taxa assignment using the OPU approach resulted in a lower number of units but with higher accuracy compared to the OTU approach. Data analysis indicated an increase in sequences belonging to the phylum Proteobacteria in the DEC group compared to the viral and healthy groups. Samples displayed a statistically different community structure by sample grouping by redundancy analysis and ANOVA. Escherichia albertii (p = 0.001, Citrobacter werkmanii (p = 0.001, Yersinia enterocolitica, subsp. paleartica (p = 0.048, and Haemophilus sputorum (p = 0.028 were

  4. Studying the evolutionary relationships and phylogenetic trees of 21 groups of tRNA sequences based on complex networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Fangping; Chen, Bowen

    2012-03-01

    To find out the evolutionary relationships among different tRNA sequences of 21 amino acids, 22 networks are constructed. One is constructed from whole tRNAs, and the other 21 networks are constructed from the tRNAs which carry the same amino acids. A new method is proposed such that the alignment scores of any two amino acids groups are determined by the average degree and the average clustering coefficient of their networks. The anticodon feature of isolated tRNA and the phylogenetic trees of 21 group networks are discussed. We find that some isolated tRNA sequences in 21 networks still connect with other tRNAs outside their group, which reflects the fact that those tRNAs might evolve by intercrossing among these 21 groups. We also find that most anticodons among the same cluster are only one base different in the same sites when S ≥ 70, and they stay in the same rank in the ladder of evolutionary relationships. Those observations seem to agree on that some tRNAs might mutate from the same ancestor sequences based on point mutation mechanisms.

  5. Production and Purification Immunoglobulin against E. coli in Egg Yolk

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    Mohammadreza Nassiri

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Introduction Chicken is the only avian species in which polyclonal antibodies, like IgG is transported from the hen to the egg yolk in a similar manner as the transport of mammalian IgG from the mother to the fetus. Immunoglobulin Y in the chicken is transported to the egg and accumulates in the egg yolk in large quantities. IgY is an egg yolk antibody that has been used widely for treatment and prevention of infections in humans and animal. IgY is used for passive protection of the pathogen infections such as Escherichia coli, bovine and human rotavirus, bovine coronavirus, salmonella, staphylococcus and Pseudomonas. IgY is a promising candidate as an alternative to antibiotics. Eschericha coli strains of serotype O157: H7 belongs to a family of pathogenic E. coli called enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC strains responsible for hemorrhagic colitis, bloody or non-bloody diarrhea, and hemolytic uremic syndrome in humans. This strain of E. coli pathogenises by adhering to host intestinal epithelium and forming bacterial colonies. The purpose of this study was to produce and purify immunoglobulin Y against E. coli O157:H7 and develop specific polyclonal anti E. coli antibody in the egg yolk. Materials and Methods Sixteen-week-old laying hens (Mashhad, Iran were kept in individual cages with food and water ad libitum. Immunization of hens was performed by intramuscularly injecting killed E. coli O157: H7 with an equal volume of Freund’s complete adjuvant into two sides of chest area (Sigma, USA for the first immunization. Two booster immunizations followed up using complete and incomplete Freund’s adjuvants in two weeks interval. Freund’s adjuvant without antigen was injected to the control group. Two weeks after the last injection, the eggs were collected daily for eight weeks, marked and stored at 4 ºC. In order to IgY purification, eggs were collected. Purification of IgY from egg yolk was based on Polson and using PEG6000. Finally, the

  6. Injury and mechanism of recombinant E. coli expressing STa on piglets colon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lv, Yang; Li, Xueni; Zhang, Lin; Shi, Yutao; DU, Linxiao; Ding, Binying; Hou, Yongqing; Gong, Joshua; Wu, Tao

    2018-02-09

    Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is primary pathogenic bacteria of piglet diarrhea, over two thirds of piglets diarrhea caused by ETEC are resulted from STa-producing ETEC strains. This experiment was conducted to construct the recombinant E. coli expressing STa and study the injury and mechanism of recombinant E. coli expressing STa on 7 days old piglets colon. Twenty-four 7 days old piglets were allotted to four treatments: control group, STa group (2 × 10 9 CFU E. coli LMG194-STa), LMG194 group (2 × 10 9 CFU E. coli LMG194) and K88 group (2 × 10 9 CFU E. coli K88). The result showed that E. coli infection significantly increased diarrhea rates; changed DAO activity in plasma and colon; damaged colonic mucosal morphology including crypt depth, number of globet cells, density of lymphocytes and lamina propria cell density; substantially reduced antioxidant capacity by altering activities of GSH-Px, SOD, and TNOS and productions of MDA and H 2 O 2 ; obviously decreased AQP3, AQP4 and KCNJ13 protein expression levels; substantially altered the gene expression levels of inflammatory cytokines. Conclusively, STa group had the biggest effect on these indices in four treatment groups. These results suggested that the recombinant strain expressed STa can induce piglets diarrhea and colonic morphological and funtional damage by altering expression of proteins connect to transportation function and genes associated with intestinal injury and inflammatory cytokines.

  7. The Dermatophagoides farinae group 22 allergen: cloning and expression in Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Yu-bao; Cai, Hong-xing; Zhou, Ying; Wang, Nan; Yu, Li-li; Yang, Li; Zhang, Cheng-bo

    2015-09-01

    Dermatophagoides farinae (Hughes) (Acari: Pyroglyphidae) and other domestic mites produce allergens that affect people worldwide. Here, the complementary DNA (cDNA) coding for group 22 allergen of D. farinae (Der f 22) from China was cloned, sequenced, and expressed successfully. The cDNA encoding Der f 22 was synthesized by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), then ligated to the pCold-TF for expression in Escherichia coli BL21 cells. The purified recombinant fusion protein was identified by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), Western-blotting, and tandem matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF/TOF). The full-length cDNA comprised 468 nucleotides and was 99.57% (466/468) identical with the reference sequence (GenBank: DQ643992). After the plasmid pCold-TF-Der f 22 was transformed into E. coli BL21 and expressed with the induction of IPTG, SDS-PAGE showed a specific band for the recombinant fusion protein. The recombinant fusion protein, which was purified by chromatography, bound with a His-tagged antibody by Western blotting. MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry revealed that the structure of the recombinant protein was identical to the predicted Der f 22 structure. The hydrophilic protein contains a signal peptide of 20 amino acids, and the mature Der f 22 consists of 135 amino acid residues with a molecular weight of 14.7 kDa and theoretical isoelectric points (pI) of 6.38. Its secondary structure comprises an alpha helix (38.5%), beta-sheet (45.9%), random coils (11.85%), and beta-turns (11.1%). This work represents the first reported full-length sequence and successful cloning of Der f 22 from D. farinae in China; bioinformatics analysis can be used to further study the allergenicity and clinical utility of the recombinant Der f 22. © 2015 ARS-AAOA, LLC.

  8. Epidemiology and clinical manifestations of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hebbelstrup Jensen, Betina; Olsen, Katharina E P; Struve, Carsten

    2014-01-01

    Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) represents a heterogeneous group of E. coli strains. The pathogenicity and clinical relevance of these bacteria are still controversial. In this review, we describe the clinical significance of EAEC regarding patterns of infection in humans, transmission...

  9. Nonbinary Tree-Based Phylogenetic Networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jetten, Laura; van Iersel, Leo

    2018-01-01

    Rooted phylogenetic networks are used to describe evolutionary histories that contain non-treelike evolutionary events such as hybridization and horizontal gene transfer. In some cases, such histories can be described by a phylogenetic base-tree with additional linking arcs, which can, for example, represent gene transfer events. Such phylogenetic networks are called tree-based. Here, we consider two possible generalizations of this concept to nonbinary networks, which we call tree-based and strictly-tree-based nonbinary phylogenetic networks. We give simple graph-theoretic characterizations of tree-based and strictly-tree-based nonbinary phylogenetic networks. Moreover, we show for each of these two classes that it can be decided in polynomial time whether a given network is contained in the class. Our approach also provides a new view on tree-based binary phylogenetic networks. Finally, we discuss two examples of nonbinary phylogenetic networks in biology and show how our results can be applied to them.

  10. Strain-Level Discrimination of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli in Spinach Using Metagenomic Sequencing.

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    Susan R Leonard

    Full Text Available Consumption of fresh bagged spinach contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC has led to severe illness and death; however current culture-based methods to detect foodborne STEC are time consuming. Since not all STEC strains are considered pathogenic to humans, it is crucial to incorporate virulence characterization of STEC in the detection method. In this study, we assess the comprehensiveness of utilizing a shotgun metagenomics approach for detection and strain-level identification by spiking spinach with a variety of genomically disparate STEC strains at a low contamination level of 0.1 CFU/g. Molecular serotyping, virulence gene characterization, microbial community analysis, and E. coli core gene single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP analysis were performed on metagenomic sequence data from enriched samples. It was determined from bacterial community analysis that E. coli, which was classified at the phylogroup level, was a major component of the population in most samples. However, in over half the samples, molecular serotyping revealed the presence of indigenous E. coli which also contributed to the percent abundance of E. coli. Despite the presence of additional E. coli strains, the serotype and virulence genes of the spiked STEC, including correct Shiga toxin subtype, were detected in 94% of the samples with a total number of reads per sample averaging 2.4 million. Variation in STEC abundance and/or detection was observed in replicate spiked samples, indicating an effect from the indigenous microbiota during enrichment. SNP analysis of the metagenomic data correctly placed the spiked STEC in a phylogeny of related strains in cases where the indigenous E. coli did not predominate in the enriched sample. Also, for these samples, our analysis demonstrates that strain-level phylogenetic resolution is possible using shotgun metagenomic data for determining the genomic relatedness of a contaminating STEC strain to other

  11. Efficient parsimony-based methods for phylogenetic network reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Guohua; Nakhleh, Luay; Snir, Sagi; Tuller, Tamir

    2007-01-15

    Phylogenies--the evolutionary histories of groups of organisms-play a major role in representing relationships among biological entities. Although many biological processes can be effectively modeled as tree-like relationships, others, such as hybrid speciation and horizontal gene transfer (HGT), result in networks, rather than trees, of relationships. Hybrid speciation is a significant evolutionary mechanism in plants, fish and other groups of species. HGT plays a major role in bacterial genome diversification and is a significant mechanism by which bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics. Maximum parsimony is one of the most commonly used criteria for phylogenetic tree inference. Roughly speaking, inference based on this criterion seeks the tree that minimizes the amount of evolution. In 1990, Jotun Hein proposed using this criterion for inferring the evolution of sequences subject to recombination. Preliminary results on small synthetic datasets. Nakhleh et al. (2005) demonstrated the criterion's application to phylogenetic network reconstruction in general and HGT detection in particular. However, the naive algorithms used by the authors are inapplicable to large datasets due to their demanding computational requirements. Further, no rigorous theoretical analysis of computing the criterion was given, nor was it tested on biological data. In the present work we prove that the problem of scoring the parsimony of a phylogenetic network is NP-hard and provide an improved fixed parameter tractable algorithm for it. Further, we devise efficient heuristics for parsimony-based reconstruction of phylogenetic networks. We test our methods on both synthetic and biological data (rbcL gene in bacteria) and obtain very promising results.

  12. ANALISIS CEMARAN BAKTERI Escherichia coli ANALISIS CEMARAN BAKTERI Escherichia coli ANALISIS CEMARAN BAKTERI Escherichia coli

    OpenAIRE

    ANGGREINI, RAHAYU

    2015-01-01

    2015 RAHAYU ANGGREINI coli Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk melakukan identifikasi cemaran bakteri E. coli O157:H7 pada daging sapi di kota Makassar. Sampel pada penelitian ini sebanyak 72 sampel Kata Kunci : Daging sapi, pasar tradisional, E. coli, E. coli O157:H7, kontaminasi bakteri, identifikasi E. coli O157:H7.

  13. Day-to-Day Dynamics of Commensal Escherichia coli in Zimbabwean Cows Evidence Temporal Fluctuations within a Host-Specific Population Structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Massot, Méril; Couffignal, Camille; Clermont, Olivier; D'Humières, Camille; Chatel, Jérémie; Plault, Nicolas; Andremont, Antoine; Caron, Alexandre; Mentré, France; Denamur, Erick

    2017-07-01

    To get insights into the temporal pattern of commensal Escherichia coli populations, we sampled the feces of four healthy cows from the same herd in the Hwange District of Zimbabwe daily over 25 days. The cows had not received antibiotic treatment during the previous 3 months. We performed viable E. coli counts and characterized the 326 isolates originating from the 98 stool samples at a clonal level, screened them for stx and eae genes, and tested them for their antibiotic susceptibilities. We observed that E. coli counts and dominant clones were different among cows, and very few clones were shared. No clone was shared by three or four cows. Clone richness and evenness were not different between cows. Within each host, the variability in the E. coli count was evidenced between days, and no clone was found to be dominant during the entire sampling period, suggesting the existence of clonal interference. Dominant clones tended to persist longer than subdominant ones and were mainly from phylogenetic groups A and B1. Five E. coli clones were found to contain both the stx 1 and stx 2 genes, representing 6.3% of the studied isolates. All cows harbored at least one Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) strain. Resistance to tetracycline, penicillins, trimethoprim, and sulfonamides was rare and observed in three clones that were shed at low levels in two cows. This study highlights the fact that the commensal E. coli population, including the STEC population, is host specific, is highly dynamic over a short time frame, and rarely carries antibiotic resistance determinants in the absence of antibiotic treatment. IMPORTANCE The literature about the dynamics of commensal Escherichia coli populations is very scarce. Over 25 days, we followed the total E. coli counts daily and characterized the sampled clones in the feces of four cows from the same herd living in the Hwange District of Zimbabwe. This study deals with the day-to-day dynamics of both quantitative and

  14. Marine turtle mitogenome phylogenetics and evolution

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Duchene, Sebastián; Frey, Amy; Alfaro-Núñez, Luis Alonso

    2012-01-01

    The sea turtles are a group of cretaceous origin containing seven recognized living species: leatherback, hawksbill, Kemp's ridley, olive ridley, loggerhead, green, and flatback. The leatherback is the single member of the Dermochelidae family, whereas all other sea turtles belong in Cheloniidae...... distributions, shedding light on complex migration patterns and possible geographic or climatic events as driving forces of sea-turtle distribution. We have sequenced complete mitogenomes for all sea-turtle species, including samples from their geographic range extremes, and performed phylogenetic analyses...... to assess sea-turtle evolution with a large molecular dataset. We found variation in the length of the ATP8 gene and a highly variable site in ND4 near a proton translocation channel in the resulting protein. Complete mitogenomes show strong support and resolution for phylogenetic relationships among all...

  15. Characterization of diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli isolates in Jordanian children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shehabi, Asem A; Bulos, Najawa-Kuri; Hajjaj, Kamal G

    2003-01-01

    In a prospective study carried out among Jordanian children in Amman, a total of 73/250 (29.2%) stool specimens were positive for 1 or more diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli strains using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction method. This study indicated that diarrhoeagenic E. coli isolates were found frequently more in stools of children with diarrhoea (34%) than without diarrhoea (23.1%), but without any significant difference (p > 0.05). The predominant diarrhoeagenic E. coli strains associated with diarrhoea were enteropathogenic E. coli (11.3%), followed by enterotoxigenic E. coli (9.8%) and enteroaggrative E. coli (9%), whereas in the control group these were 4.3%, 11.1% and 6%, respectively. Enteroinvasive E. coli strains (2.9%) were found only in stools of children with diarrhoea. This study revealed the absence of enterohaemorrhagic E. coli in both diarrhoeal and control stools, and found that diarrhoeagenic E. coli isolates were highly resistance to tetracycline (55%), co-trimoxazole (60%) and ampicillin (89%), which are commonly used antibiotics in Jordan.

  16. Consequences of concurrent Ascaridia galli and Escherichia coli infections in chickens

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    Permin A

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available Three experiments were carried out to examine the consequences of concurrent infections with Ascaridia galli and Escherichia coli in chickens raised for table egg production. Characteristic pathological lesions including airsacculitis, peritonitis and/or polyserositis were seen in all groups infected with E. coli. Furthermore, a trend for increased mortality rates was observed in groups infected with both organisms which, however, could not be confirmed statistically. The mean worm burden was significantly lower in combined infection groups compared to groups infected only with A. galli. It was also shown that combined infections of E. coli and A. galli had an added significant negative impact on weight gain.

  17. Molecular epidemiology of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli

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    Catherine Ludden

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: E. coli O25b-ST131 has disseminated worldwide in hospitals and the community. The objective of this study was to determine the extent to which E. coli O25b-ST131 accounts for extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBLproducing E. coli from clinical samples from all sources in this region. Methods: Between January and June 2010 ESBL-producing E. coli were collected from 94 routine samples including 47 from residents of 25 nursing homes, 15 categorized as hospital acquired and 32 others. PCR was performed for detection of bla CTX-M, bla OXA-1, bla TEM, bla SHV and for the identification of members of the E. coli O25b:ST131 clonal group. PFGE was carried out using Xba I in accordance with PulseNet protocols. Results: The majority (97% of isolates harbored a bla CTX-M gene.E. coli O25b-ST131 accounted for 87% of all ESBL-producing E. coliand for 96% of isolates from nursing home residents. Conclusion:The E. coli O25b-ST131 clonal group predominated in the collection of ESBL-producing E. coli, particularly in nursing home isolates. J Microbiol Infect Dis 2014; 4(3: 92-96

  18. Transforming phylogenetic networks: Moving beyond tree space

    OpenAIRE

    Huber, Katharina T.; Moulton, Vincent; Wu, Taoyang

    2016-01-01

    Phylogenetic networks are a generalization of phylogenetic trees that are used to represent reticulate evolution. Unrooted phylogenetic networks form a special class of such networks, which naturally generalize unrooted phylogenetic trees. In this paper we define two operations on unrooted phylogenetic networks, one of which is a generalization of the well-known nearest-neighbor interchange (NNI) operation on phylogenetic trees. We show that any unrooted phylogenetic network can be transforme...

  19. Distribution, Numbers, and Diversity of ESBL-Producing E. coli in the Poultry Farm Environment.

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    Hetty Blaak

    Full Text Available This study aimed to discern the contribution of poultry farms to the contamination of the environment with ESBL-producing Escherichia coli and therewith, potentially to the spread of these bacteria to humans and other animals. ESBL-producing E. coli were detected at all investigated laying hen farms (n = 5 and broiler farms (n = 3 in 65% (46/71 and 81% (57/70 of poultry faeces samples, respectively. They were detected in rinse water and run-off water (21/26; 81%, other farm animals (11/14; 79%, dust (21/35; 60%, surface water adjacent to farms (20/35; 57%, soil (48/87; 55%, on flies (11/73; 15%, and in barn air (2/33; 6%. The highest prevalence and concentrations in the outdoor environment were observed in soil of free-range areas at laying hen farms (100% of samples positive, geometric mean concentration 2.4×10(4 cfu/kg, and surface waters adjacent to broiler farms during, or shortly after, cleaning between production rounds (91% of samples positive, geometric mean concentration 1.9×10(2 cfu/l. The diversity of ESBL-producing E. coli variants with respect to sequence type, phylogenetic group, ESBL-genotype and antibiotic resistance profile was high, especially on broiler farms where on average 16 different variants were detected, and the average Simpson's Indices of diversity (SID; 1-D were 0.93 and 0.94 among flock and environmental isolates respectively. At laying hen farms on average nine variants were detected, with SIDs of 0.63 (flock isolates and 0.77 (environmental isolates. Sixty percent of environmental isolates were identical to flock isolates at the same farm. The highest proportions of 'flock variants' were observed in dust (94%, run-off gullies (82%, and barn air (67%, followed by surface water (57%, soil (56%, flies (50% and other farm animals (35%.The introduction of ESBL-producing E. coli from poultry farms to the environment may pose a health risk if these bacteria reach places where people may become exposed.

  20. Investigation of class 1 integrons in Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical and microbiota isolates belonging to different phylogenetic groups in Recife, State of Pernambuco

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    Alexsandra Maria Silva Lima

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction The high prevalence of Klebsiella pneumoniae infections is related to the ability of K. pneumoniae to acquire and disseminate exogenous genes associated with mobile elements, such as R plasmids, transposons and integrons. This study investigated the presence of class 1 integrons in clinical and microbiota isolates of K. pneumoniae belonging to different phylogenetic groups and correlated these results with the antimicrobial resistance profiles of the studied isolates. Methods Of the 51 isolates of K. pneumoniae selected for this study, 29 were from multidrug-resistant clinical isolates, and 22 were from children's microbiota. The susceptibility profile was determined using the disk diffusion method, and class 1 integrons were detected through polymerase chain reaction (PCR. Results The results showed that none of the 22 microbiota isolates carried class 1 integrons. Among the 29 clinical isolates, 19 (65.5% contained class 1 integrons, and resistance to sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim was identified in 18 of these isolates (94.7%. Among the K. pneumoniae isolates with class 1 integrons, 47% belonged to the KpI phylogenetic group, and one isolate (14.3% carrying these genetic elements belonged to the KpIII group. Conclusions The wide variety of detected class 1 integrons supports the presence of high rates of antimicrobial resistance, genetic variability, and rapid dissemination of beta-lactamase genes among K. pneumoniae clinical isolates in recent years in hospitals in Recife-PE, Brazil. The findings of this study indicate that the surveillance of K. pneumoniae integrons in clinical isolates could be useful for monitoring the spread of antibiotic resistance genes in the hospital environment.

  1. Porcine E. coli: virulence-associated genes, resistance genes and adhesion and probiotic activity tested by a new screening method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schierack, Peter; Rödiger, Stefan; Kuhl, Christoph; Hiemann, Rico; Roggenbuck, Dirk; Li, Ganwu; Weinreich, Jörg; Berger, Enrico; Nolan, Lisa K; Nicholson, Bryon; Römer, Antje; Frömmel, Ulrike; Wieler, Lothar H; Schröder, Christian

    2013-01-01

    We established an automated screening method to characterize adhesion of Escherichia coli to intestinal porcine epithelial cells (IPEC-J2) and their probiotic activity against infection by enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC). 104 intestinal E. coli isolates from domestic pigs were tested by PCR for the occurrence of virulence-associated genes, genes coding for resistances to antimicrobial agents and metals, and for phylogenetic origin by PCR. Adhesion rates and probiotic activity were examined for correlation with the presence of these genes. Finally, data were compared with those from 93 E. coli isolates from wild boars. Isolates from domestic pigs carried a broad variety of all tested genes and showed great diversity in gene patterns. Adhesions varied with a maximum of 18.3 or 24.2 mean bacteria adherence per epithelial cell after 2 or 6 hours respectively. Most isolates from domestic pigs and wild boars showed low adherence, with no correlation between adhesion/probiotic activity and E. coli genes or gene clusters. The gene sfa/foc, encoding for a subunit of F1C fimbriae did show a positive correlative association with adherence and probiotic activity; however E. coli isolates from wild boars with the sfa/foc gene showed less adhesion and probiotic activity than E. coli with the sfa/foc gene isolated from domestic pigs after 6 hour incubation. In conclusion, screening porcine E. coli for virulence associated genes genes, adhesion to intestinal epithelial cells, and probiotic activity revealed a single important adhesion factor, several probiotic candidates, and showed important differences between E. coli of domestic pigs and wild boars.

  2. Porcine E. coli: virulence-associated genes, resistance genes and adhesion and probiotic activity tested by a new screening method.

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    Peter Schierack

    Full Text Available We established an automated screening method to characterize adhesion of Escherichia coli to intestinal porcine epithelial cells (IPEC-J2 and their probiotic activity against infection by enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC. 104 intestinal E. coli isolates from domestic pigs were tested by PCR for the occurrence of virulence-associated genes, genes coding for resistances to antimicrobial agents and metals, and for phylogenetic origin by PCR. Adhesion rates and probiotic activity were examined for correlation with the presence of these genes. Finally, data were compared with those from 93 E. coli isolates from wild boars. Isolates from domestic pigs carried a broad variety of all tested genes and showed great diversity in gene patterns. Adhesions varied with a maximum of 18.3 or 24.2 mean bacteria adherence per epithelial cell after 2 or 6 hours respectively. Most isolates from domestic pigs and wild boars showed low adherence, with no correlation between adhesion/probiotic activity and E. coli genes or gene clusters. The gene sfa/foc, encoding for a subunit of F1C fimbriae did show a positive correlative association with adherence and probiotic activity; however E. coli isolates from wild boars with the sfa/foc gene showed less adhesion and probiotic activity than E. coli with the sfa/foc gene isolated from domestic pigs after 6 hour incubation. In conclusion, screening porcine E. coli for virulence associated genes genes, adhesion to intestinal epithelial cells, and probiotic activity revealed a single important adhesion factor, several probiotic candidates, and showed important differences between E. coli of domestic pigs and wild boars.

  3. Evaluation of two multi-locus sequence typing schemes for commensal Escherichia coli from dairy cattle in Washington State.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, Sara; Besser, Thomas E; Call, Douglas R; Weissman, Scott J; Jones, Lisa P; Davis, Margaret A

    2016-05-01

    Multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) is a useful system for phylogenetic and epidemiological studies of multidrug-resistant Escherichiacoli. Most studies utilize a seven-locus MLST, but an alternate two-locus typing method (fumC and fimH; CH typing) has been proposed that may offer a similar degree of discrimination at lower cost. Herein, we compare CH typing to the standard seven-locus method for typing commensal E. coli isolates from dairy cattle. In addition, we evaluated alternative combinations of eight loci to identify combinations that maximize discrimination and congruence with standard seven-locus MLST among commensal E. coli while minimizing the cost. We also compared both methods when used for typing uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC). CH typing was less discriminatory for commensal E. coli than the standard seven-locus method (Simpson's Index of Diversity=0.933 [0.902-0.964] and 0.97 [0.96-0.979], respectively). Combining fimH with housekeeping gene loci improved discriminatory power for commensal E. coli from cattle but resulted in poor congruence with MLST. We found that a four-locus typing method including the housekeeping genes adk, purA, gyrB and recA could be used to minimize cost without sacrificing discriminatory power or congruence with Achtman seven-locus MLST when typing commensal E. coli. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Molecular characterisation of uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolates at a tertiary care hospital in South India

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    Arindam Chakraborty

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC express a multitude of virulence factors (VFs to break the inertia of the mucosal barrier of the urinary tract. The aim of the present study was undertaken to characterised the UPEC strains and to correlate carriage of specific virulence markers with different phylogroups and also to correlate these findings with clinical outcome of patients. A total of 156 non-repeated, clinically significant UPEC isolates were studied. Virulent genes were determined by two set of multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR. Phylogenetic analysis was performed by triplex PCR methods. Antibiograms and patient's clinical outcomes were collected in a structured pro forma. Of the 156 patients infected by UPEC strains with significant bacterial counts the most common predisposing factors were diabetes (45.5% followed by carcinoma (7%. On analysis of the VF genes of the isolates, a majority of strains (140; 90% were possessing the fimH gene followed by iutA (98; 63%, papC (76; 49%, cnf1 (46; 29.5%, hlyA (45; 29% and neuC (8; 5%, respectively. On phylogenetic analysis, 27 (17% isolates were belong to phylogroup A, 16 (10% strains to Group B1, 59 (38% were from Group B2 and 54 (35% were from Group D. High prevalence of antibiotic resistance was observed among the isolates. The incidence of papC, cnf1 and hlyA was significantly higher (P < 0.05 among the isolates from relapse patients. Our findings indicate that virulent as well as commensal strains are capable of causing urinary tract infection. Virulence genes as well as patients-related factors are equally responsible for the development of infections and also that virulence genes may help such isolates to persist even with appropriate chemotherapy and be responsible for recurrent infections.

  5. Agent-based and phylogenetic analyses reveal how HIV-1 moves between risk groups: injecting drug users sustain the heterosexual epidemic in Latvia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graw, Frederik; Leitner, Thomas; Ribeiro, Ruy M.

    2012-01-01

    Injecting drug users (IDU) are a driving force for the spread of HIV-1 in Latvia and other Baltic States, accounting for a majority of cases. However, in recent years, heterosexual cases have increased disproportionately. It is unclear how the changes in incidence patterns in Latvia can be explained, and how important IDU are for the heterosexual sub-epidemic. We introduce a novel epidemic model and use phylogenetic analyses in parallel to examine the spread of HIV-1 in Latvia between 1987 and 2010. Using a hybrid framework with a mean-field description for the susceptible population and an agent-based model for the infecteds, we track infected individuals and follow transmission histories dynamically formed during the simulation. The agent-based simulations and the phylogenetic analysis show that more than half of the heterosexual transmissions in Latvia were caused by IDU, which sustain the heterosexual epidemic. Indeed, we find that heterosexual clusters are characterized by short transmission chains with up to 63% of the chains dying out after the first introduction. In the simulations, the distribution of transmission chain sizes follows a power law distribution, which is confirmed by the phylogenetic data. Our models indicate that frequent introductions reduced the extinction probability of an autonomously spreading heterosexual HIV-1 epidemic, which now has the potential to dominate the spread of the overall epidemic in the future. Furthermore, our model shows that social heterogeneity of the susceptible population can explain the shift in HIV-1 incidence in Latvia over the course of the epidemic. Thus, the decrease in IDU incidence may be due to local heterogeneities in transmission, rather than the implementation of control measures. Increases in susceptibles, through social or geographic movement of IDU, could lead to a boost in HIV-1 infections in this risk group. Targeting individuals that bridge social groups would help prevent further spread of the

  6. Molecular Characterization of Human Atypical Sorbitol-Fermenting Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli O157 Reveals High Diversity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kossow, Annelene; Zhang, Wenlan; Bielaszewska, Martina; Rhode, Sophie; Hansen, Kevin; Fruth, Angelika; Rüter, Christian; Karch, Helge; Mellmann, Alexander

    2016-05-01

    Alongside the well-characterized enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7, serogroup O157 comprises sorbitol-fermenting typical and atypical enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC/aEPEC) strains that carry the intimin-encoding gene eae but not Shiga toxin-encoding genes (stx). Since little is known about these pathogens, we characterized 30 clinical isolates from patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) or uncomplicated diarrhea with respect to their flagellin gene (fliC) type and multilocus sequence type (MLST). Moreover, we applied whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to determine the phylogenetic relationship with other eae-positive EHEC serotypes and the composition of the rfbO157 region. fliC typing resulted in five fliC types (H7, H16, H34, H39, and H45). Isolates of each fliC type shared a unique ST. In comparison to the 42 HUS-associated E. coli (HUSEC) strains, only the stx-negative isolates with fliCH7 shared their ST with EHEC O157:H7/H(-) strains. With the exception of one O157:H(-) fliCH16 isolate, HUS was exclusively associated with fliCH7. WGS corroborated the separation of the fliCH7 isolates, which were closely related to the EHEC O157:H7/H(-) isolates, and the diverse group of isolates exhibiting different fliC types, indicating independent evolution of the different serotypes. This was also supported by the heterogeneity within the rfbO157 region that exhibited extensive recombinations. The genotypic subtypes and distribution of clinical symptoms suggested that the stx-negative O157 strains with fliCH7 were originally EHEC strains that lost stx The remaining isolates form a distinct and diverse group of atypical EPEC isolates that do not possess the full spectrum of virulence genes, underlining the importance of identifying the H antigen for clinical risk assessment. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  7. Melanosis coli in patients with colon cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dorota Biernacka-Wawrzonek

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Intoduction: Melanosis coli is a benign lesion affecting the mucosa of the large intestine. There is a relationship between the presence of melanosis and anthraquinone laxative use. Melanosis coli is also observed in patients with colon cancer, but there is doubt whether these two conditions are related. Aim : To analyze the correlation between melanosis and colon cancer. Material and methods: We analyzed retrospectively 436 patients undergoing colon cancer surgery. There were 246 women and 190 men. Patients were divided into three age groups: under 50 years, between 51 and 65 years, and over 66 years. We analyzed sections of the cancer and intestinal mucosa from the tumor’s proximal (2–5 cm and distal (8–10 cm zone. Results : Melanosis coli was present in 52 patients, which represents 11.9% of patients with colon cancer. More often it was present in women. The most common location of melanosis and colon cancer was the terminal part of the large intestine. In patients below 50 years of age in both sexes melanosis coli did not occur. In men, melanosis was more common in the age group over 66 years. Intensity of pigmentation was higher in the tumor’s distal zone. Conclusions : The incidence of melanosis coli increases with age, similar to that of colon cancer. Melanosis was not present inside tumors, in almost half of the cases it was not present in the proximal zone, and the degree of pigmentation increased in distal zone. The cause-effect relationship between melanosis coli and colon cancer remains uncertain.

  8. Origins and evolution of cinnamon and camphor: A phylogenetic and historical biogeographical analysis of the Cinnamomum group (Lauraceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Jian-Feng; Li, Lang; van der Werff, Henk; Li, Hsi-Wen; Rohwer, Jens G; Crayn, Darren M; Meng, Hong-Hu; van der Merwe, Marlien; Conran, John G; Li, Jie

    2016-03-01

    Tropical and subtropical amphi-Pacific disjunction is among the most fascinating distribution patterns, but received little attention. Here we use the fossil-rich Cinnamomum group, a primarily tropical and subtropical Asian lineage with some species distributed in Neotropics, Australasia and Africa to shed light upon this disjunction pattern. Phylogenetic and biogeographic analyses were carried out using sequences of three nuclear loci from 94 Cinnamomum group and 13 outgroup samples. Results show that although there are three clades within a monophyletic Cinnamomum group, Cinnamomum and previously recognized subdivisions within this genus were all rejected as natural groups. The Cinnamomum group appears to have originated in the widespread boreotropical paleoflora of Laurasia during the early Eocene (ca. 55Ma). The formation and breakup of the boreotropics seems to have then played a key role in the formation of intercontinental disjunctions within the Cinnamomum group. The first cooling interval (50-48Ma) in the late early Eocene resulted in a floristic discontinuity between Eurasia and North America causing the tropical and subtropical amphi-Pacific disjunction. The second cooling interval in the mid-Eocene (42-38Ma) resulted in the fragmentation of the boreotropics within Eurasia, leading to an African-Asian disjunction. Multiple dispersal events from North into South America occurred from the early Eocene to late Miocene and a single migration event from Asia into Australia appears to have occurred in the early Miocene. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. On Nakhleh's metric for reduced phylogenetic networks

    OpenAIRE

    Cardona, Gabriel; Llabrés, Mercè; Rosselló, Francesc; Valiente Feruglio, Gabriel Alejandro

    2009-01-01

    We prove that Nakhleh’s metric for reduced phylogenetic networks is also a metric on the classes of tree-child phylogenetic networks, semibinary tree-sibling time consistent phylogenetic networks, and multilabeled phylogenetic trees. We also prove that it separates distinguishable phylogenetic networks. In this way, it becomes the strongest dissimilarity measure for phylogenetic networks available so far. Furthermore, we propose a generalization of that metric that separates arbitrary phyl...

  10. Phylogenetic Analysis Using Protein Mass Spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Shiyong; Downard, Kevin M; Wong, Jason W H

    2017-01-01

    Through advances in molecular biology, comparative analysis of DNA sequences is currently the cornerstone in the study of molecular evolution and phylogenetics. Nevertheless, protein mass spectrometry offers some unique opportunities to enable phylogenetic analyses in organisms where DNA may be difficult or costly to obtain. To date, the methods of phylogenetic analysis using protein mass spectrometry can be classified into three categories: (1) de novo protein sequencing followed by classical phylogenetic reconstruction, (2) direct phylogenetic reconstruction using proteolytic peptide mass maps, and (3) mapping of mass spectral data onto classical phylogenetic trees. In this chapter, we provide a brief description of the three methods and the protocol for each method along with relevant tools and algorithms.

  11. Phylogeny and phylogenetic classification of the antbirds, ovenbirds, woodcreepers, and allies (Aves: Passeriformes: Infraorder Furnariides)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moyle, R.G.; Chesser, R.T.; Brumfield, R.T.; Tello, J.G.; Marchese, D.J.; Cracraft, J.

    2009-01-01

    The infraorder Furnariides is a diverse group of suboscine passerine birds comprising a substantial component of the Neotropical avifauna. The included species encompass a broad array of morphologies and behaviours, making them appealing for evolutionary studies, but the size of the group (ca. 600 species) has limited well-sampled higher-level phylogenetic studies. Using DNA sequence data from the nuclear RAG-1 and RAG-2 exons, we undertook a phylogenetic analysis of the Furnariides sampling 124 (more than 88%) of the genera. Basal relationships among family-level taxa differed depending on phylogenetic method, but all topologies had little nodal support, mirroring the results from earlier studies in which discerning relationships at the base of the radiation was also difficult. In contrast, branch support for family-rank taxa and for many relationships within those clades was generally high. Our results support the Melanopareidae and Grallariidae as distinct from the Rhinocryptidae and Formicariidae, respectively. Within the Furnariides our data contradict some recent phylogenetic hypotheses and suggest that further study is needed to resolve these discrepancies. Of the few genera represented by multiple species, several were not monophyletic, indicating that additional systematic work remains within furnariine families and must include dense taxon sampling. We use this study as a basis for proposing a new phylogenetic classification for the group and in the process erect new family-group names for clades having high branch support across methods. ?? 2009 The Willi Hennig Society.

  12. Reconstruction of phylogenetic trees of prokaryotes using maximal common intervals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heydari, Mahdi; Marashi, Sayed-Amir; Tusserkani, Ruzbeh; Sadeghi, Mehdi

    2014-10-01

    One of the fundamental problems in bioinformatics is phylogenetic tree reconstruction, which can be used for classifying living organisms into different taxonomic clades. The classical approach to this problem is based on a marker such as 16S ribosomal RNA. Since evolutionary events like genomic rearrangements are not included in reconstructions of phylogenetic trees based on single genes, much effort has been made to find other characteristics for phylogenetic reconstruction in recent years. With the increasing availability of completely sequenced genomes, gene order can be considered as a new solution for this problem. In the present work, we applied maximal common intervals (MCIs) in two or more genomes to infer their distance and to reconstruct their evolutionary relationship. Additionally, measures based on uncommon segments (UCS's), i.e., those genomic segments which are not detected as part of any of the MCIs, are also used for phylogenetic tree reconstruction. We applied these two types of measures for reconstructing the phylogenetic tree of 63 prokaryotes with known COG (clusters of orthologous groups) families. Similarity between the MCI-based (resp. UCS-based) reconstructed phylogenetic trees and the phylogenetic tree obtained from NCBI taxonomy browser is as high as 93.1% (resp. 94.9%). We show that in the case of this diverse dataset of prokaryotes, tree reconstruction based on MCI and UCS outperforms most of the currently available methods based on gene orders, including breakpoint distance and DCJ. We additionally tested our new measures on a dataset of 13 closely-related bacteria from the genus Prochlorococcus. In this case, distances like rearrangement distance, breakpoint distance and DCJ proved to be useful, while our new measures are still appropriate for phylogenetic reconstruction. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Characterization of WbiQ: An α1,2-fucosyltransferase from Escherichia coli O127:K63(B8), and synthesis of H-type 3 blood group antigen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pettit, Nicholas; Styslinger, Thomas; Mei, Zhen; Han, Weiqing; Zhao, Guohui; Wang, Peng George

    2010-01-01

    Research highlights: → WbiQ is an α1,2-fucosyltransferase from Escherichia coli O127. → WbiQ demonstrates strict substrate specificity for the Gal-β1,3-GalNAc acceptor. → WbiQ was used to synthesize milligram scale of the H-type 3 blood group antigen. -- Abstract: Escherichia coli O127:K63(B8) possesses high human blood group H (O) activity due to its O-antigen repeating unit structure. In this work, the wbiQ gene from E. coli O127:K63(B8) was expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3) and purified as a fusion protein containing an N-terminal GST affinity tag. Using the GST-WbiQ fusion protein, the wbiQ gene was identified to encode an α1,2-fucosyltransferase using a radioactivity based assay, thin-layer chromatography assay, as well confirming product formation by using mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. The fused enzyme (GST-WbiQ) has an optimal pH range from 6.5 to 7.5 and does not require the presence of a divalent metal to be enzymatically active. WbiQ displays strict substrate specificity, displaying activity only towards acceptors that contain Gal-β1,3-GalNAc-α-OR linkages; indicating that both the Gal and GalNAc residues are vital for enzymatic activity. In addition, WbiQ was used to prepare the H-type 3 blood group antigen, Fuc-α1,2-Gal-β1,3-GalNAc-α-OMe, on a milligram scale.

  14. High similarity of phylogenetic profiles of rate-limiting enzymes with inhibitory relation in Human, Mouse, Rat, budding Yeast and E. coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Min; Qu, Hong

    2011-11-30

    The phylogenetic profile is widely used to characterize functional linkage and conservation between proteins without amino acid sequence similarity. To survey the conservative regulatory properties of rate-limiting enzymes (RLEs) in metabolic inhibitory network across different species, we define the enzyme inhibiting pair as: where the first enzyme in a pair is the inhibitor provider and the second is the target of the inhibitor. Phylogenetic profiles of enzymes in the inhibiting pairs are further generated to measure the functional linkage of these enzymes during evolutionary history. We find that the RLEs generate, on average, over half of all in vivo inhibitors in each surveyed model organism. And these inhibitors inhibit on average over 85% targets in metabolic inhibitory network and cover the majority of targets of cross-pathway inhibiting relations. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the phylogenetic profiles of the enzymes in inhibiting pairs in which at least one enzyme is rate-limiting often show higher similarities than those in common inhibiting enzyme pairs. In addition, RLEs, compared to common metabolic enzymes, often tend to produce ADP instead of AMP in conservative inhibitory networks. Combined with the conservative roles of RLEs in their efficiency in sensing metabolic signals and transmitting regulatory signals to the rest of the metabolic system, the RLEs may be important molecules in balancing energy homeostasis via maintaining the ratio of ATP to ADP in living cells. Furthermore, our results indicate that similarities of phylogenetic profiles of enzymes in the inhibiting enzyme pairs are not only correlated with enzyme topological importance, but also related with roles of the enzymes in metabolic inhibitory network.

  15. Dietary N-Carbamylglutamate Supplementation Boosts Intestinal Mucosal Immunity in Escherichia coli Challenged Piglets.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fengrui Zhang

    Full Text Available N-carbamylglutamate (NCG has been shown to enhance performance in neonatal piglets. However, few studies have demonstrated the effect of NCG on the intestinal mucosal barrier. This study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary NCG supplementation on intestinal mucosal immunity in neonatal piglets after an Escherichia coli (E. coli challenge. New-born piglets (4 d old were assigned randomly to one of four treatments (n = 7, including (I sham challenge, (II sham challenge +50 mg/kg NCG, (III E. coli challenge, and (IV E. coli challenge +50 mg/kg NCG. On d 8, pigs in the E. coli challenge groups (III and IV were orally challenged with 5 mL of E. coli K88 (10(8 CFU/mL, whereas pigs in the sham challenge groups (I and II were orally dosed with an equal volume of water. On d 13, all piglets were sacrificed, and samples were collected and examined. The results show that average daily gain in the E. coli challenged piglets (III and IV was decreased (PE.coli<0.05. However, it tended to be higher in the NCG treated piglets (II and IV. Ileum secretory IgA, as well as IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-4 and IL-10 in ileal homogenates, were increased in E. coli challenged piglets (III and IV. Similarly, ileum SIgA and IL-10 levels, and CD4(+ percentage in NCG treated piglets (II and IV were higher than no-NCG treated piglets (PNCG<0.05. However, the IL-2 level was only decreased in the piglets of E. coli challenge + NCG group (IV compared with E. coli challenge group (III (P<0.05. No change in the IL-2 level of the sham challenged piglets (III was observed. In conclusion, dietary NCG supplementation has some beneficial effects on intestinal mucosal immunity in E. coli challenged piglets, which might be associated with stimulated lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine synthesis. Our findings have an important implication that NCG may be used to reduce diarrhea in neonatal piglets.

  16. Transforming phylogenetic networks: Moving beyond tree space.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huber, Katharina T; Moulton, Vincent; Wu, Taoyang

    2016-09-07

    Phylogenetic networks are a generalization of phylogenetic trees that are used to represent reticulate evolution. Unrooted phylogenetic networks form a special class of such networks, which naturally generalize unrooted phylogenetic trees. In this paper we define two operations on unrooted phylogenetic networks, one of which is a generalization of the well-known nearest-neighbor interchange (NNI) operation on phylogenetic trees. We show that any unrooted phylogenetic network can be transformed into any other such network using only these operations. This generalizes the well-known fact that any phylogenetic tree can be transformed into any other such tree using only NNI operations. It also allows us to define a generalization of tree space and to define some new metrics on unrooted phylogenetic networks. To prove our main results, we employ some fascinating new connections between phylogenetic networks and cubic graphs that we have recently discovered. Our results should be useful in developing new strategies to search for optimal phylogenetic networks, a topic that has recently generated some interest in the literature, as well as for providing new ways to compare networks. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Phylogenetic Framework and Molecular Signatures for the Main Clades of the Phylum Actinobacteria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Beile

    2012-01-01

    Summary: The phylum Actinobacteria harbors many important human pathogens and also provides one of the richest sources of natural products, including numerous antibiotics and other compounds of biotechnological interest. Thus, a reliable phylogeny of this large phylum and the means to accurately identify its different constituent groups are of much interest. Detailed phylogenetic and comparative analyses of >150 actinobacterial genomes reported here form the basis for achieving these objectives. In phylogenetic trees based upon 35 conserved proteins, most of the main groups of Actinobacteria as well as a number of their superageneric clades are resolved. We also describe large numbers of molecular markers consisting of conserved signature indels in protein sequences and whole proteins that are specific for either all Actinobacteria or their different clades (viz., orders, families, genera, and subgenera) at various taxonomic levels. These signatures independently support the existence of different phylogenetic clades, and based upon them, it is now possible to delimit the phylum Actinobacteria (excluding Coriobacteriia) and most of its major groups in clear molecular terms. The species distribution patterns of these markers also provide important information regarding the interrelationships among different main orders of Actinobacteria. The identified molecular markers, in addition to enabling the development of a stable and reliable phylogenetic framework for this phylum, also provide novel and powerful means for the identification of different groups of Actinobacteria in diverse environments. Genetic and biochemical studies on these Actinobacteria-specific markers should lead to the discovery of novel biochemical and/or other properties that are unique to different groups of Actinobacteria. PMID:22390973

  18. Phylogenetic Backgrounds and Virulence-Associated Traits of Escherichia coli Isolates from Surface Waters and Diverse Animals in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, James R; Johnston, Brian D; Delavari, Parissa; Thuras, Paul; Clabots, Connie; Sadowsky, Michael J

    2017-12-15

    Possible external reservoirs for extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) strains that cause infections in humans are poorly defined. Because of the tremendous human health importance of ExPEC infections, we assessed surface waters and domesticated and wild animals in Minnesota and Wisconsin as potential reservoirs of ExPEC of human health relevance. We characterized 595 E. coli isolates (obtained from 1999 to 2002; 280 from seven surface water sites, 315 from feces of 13 wild and domesticated animal species) for phylogroup and virulence genotype, including inferred ExPEC status, by using multiplex PCR-based methods. We also compared the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) profiles of the isolates with a large private PFGE profile library. We found a predominance of non-ExPEC strains (95% and 93% among water and animal isolates, respectively), which were mainly from phylogroups A and B1, plus a minority of ExPEC strains (5% and 7% among water isolates and animal isolates, respectively), predominantly from phylogroup B2. The ExPEC strains, although significantly associated with cats, dogs, and turkeys, occurred in several additional animal species (goat, horse, chicken, pig) and were distributed broadly across all surface water sites. Virulence gene content among the animal source ExPEC isolates segregated significantly in relation to host species, following established patterns. PFGE analysis indicated that 11 study isolates closely matched (94% to 100% profile similarity) reference human clinical and fecal isolates. These findings imply what probably is a low but non-zero risk to humans from environmental and animal source E. coli isolates, especially those from specific human-associated animal species. IMPORTANCE Our detection of potentially pathogenic strains that may pose a health threat to humans among E. coli isolates from surface waters and wild and domesticated animals suggests a need for heightened attention to these reservoirs as possible

  19. Phylogenetic reconstruction of transmission events from individuals with acute HIV infection: toward more-rigorous epidemiological definitions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brown, Alison E.; Gifford, Robert J.; Clewley, Jonathan P.; Kucherer, Claudia; Masquelier, Bernard; Porter, Kholoud; Balotta, Claudia; Back, Nicole K. T.; Jorgensen, Louise Bruun; de Mendoza, Carmen; Bhaskaran, Krishnan; Gill, O. Noel; Johnson, Anne M.; Pillay, Deenan; del Amo, Julia; Meyer, Laurence; Bucher, Heiner; Chene, Genevieve; Prins, Maria; Rosinska, Magda; Sabin, Caroline; Touloumi, Giota; Lodi, Sara; Walker, Sarah; Babiker, Abdel; Darbyshire, Janet; de Luca, Andrea; Fisher, Martin; Muga, Roberto; Kaldor, John; Kelleher, Tony; Ramacciotti, Tim; Gelgor, Linda; Cooper, David; Smith, Don; Gill, John; Nielsen, Claus; Pedersen, Court; Lutsar, Irja; Dabis, Francois; Thiebaut, Rodolphe; Costagliola, Dominique; Guiguet, Marguerite; Vanhems, Philippe; Boufassa, Faroudy; Hamouda, Osamah; Pantazis, Nikos; Hatzakis, Angelos; Geskus, Ronald; Coutinho, Roel

    2009-01-01

    Phylogenetic reconstructions of transmission events from individuals with acute human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are conducted to illustrate this group's heightened infectivity. Varied definitions of acute infection and assumptions about observed phylogenetic clusters may produce

  20. Functional and phylogenetic ecology in R

    CERN Document Server

    Swenson, Nathan G

    2014-01-01

    Functional and Phylogenetic Ecology in R is designed to teach readers to use R for phylogenetic and functional trait analyses. Over the past decade, a dizzying array of tools and methods were generated to incorporate phylogenetic and functional information into traditional ecological analyses. Increasingly these tools are implemented in R, thus greatly expanding their impact. Researchers getting started in R can use this volume as a step-by-step entryway into phylogenetic and functional analyses for ecology in R. More advanced users will be able to use this volume as a quick reference to understand particular analyses. The volume begins with an introduction to the R environment and handling relevant data in R. Chapters then cover phylogenetic and functional metrics of biodiversity; null modeling and randomizations for phylogenetic and functional trait analyses; integrating phylogenetic and functional trait information; and interfacing the R environment with a popular C-based program. This book presents a uni...

  1. A format for phylogenetic placements.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frederick A Matsen

    Full Text Available We have developed a unified format for phylogenetic placements, that is, mappings of environmental sequence data (e.g., short reads into a phylogenetic tree. We are motivated to do so by the growing number of tools for computing and post-processing phylogenetic placements, and the lack of an established standard for storing them. The format is lightweight, versatile, extensible, and is based on the JSON format, which can be parsed by most modern programming languages. Our format is already implemented in several tools for computing and post-processing parsimony- and likelihood-based phylogenetic placements and has worked well in practice. We believe that establishing a standard format for analyzing read placements at this early stage will lead to a more efficient development of powerful and portable post-analysis tools for the growing applications of phylogenetic placement.

  2. The phylogenetic relationships among infraorders and superfamilies of Diptera based on morphological evidence

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lambkin, Christine L.; Sinclair, Bradley J.; Pape, Thomas

    2013-01-01

    Members of the megadiverse insect order Diptera (flies) have successfully colonized all continents and nearly all habitats. There are more than 154 000 described fly species, representing 1012% of animal species. Elucidating the phylogenetic relationships of such a large component of global...... biodiversity is challenging, but significant advances have been made in the last few decades. Since Hennig first discussed the monophyly of major groupings, Diptera has attracted much study, but most researchers have used non-numerical qualitative methods to assess morphological data. More recently......, quantitative phylogenetic methods have been used on both morphological and molecular data. All previous quantitative morphological studies addressed narrower phylogenetic problems, often below the suborder or infraorder level. Here we present the first numerical analysis of phylogenetic relationships...

  3. Molecular phylogenetics and historical biogeography of Rhinolophus bats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stoffberg, Samantha; Jacobs, David S; Mackie, Iain J; Matthee, Conrad A

    2010-01-01

    The phylogenetic relationships within the horseshoe bats (genus Rhinolophus) are poorly resolved, particularly at deeper levels within the tree. We present a better-resolved phylogenetic hypothesis for 30 rhinolophid species based on parsimony and Bayesian analyses of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and three nuclear introns (TG, THY and PRKC1). Strong support was found for the existence of two geographic clades within the monophyletic Rhinolophidae: an African group and an Oriental assemblage. The relaxed Bayesian clock method indicated that the two rhinolophid clades diverged approximately 35 million years ago and results from Dispersal Vicariance (DIVA) analysis suggest that the horseshoe bats arose in Asia and subsequently dispersed into Europe and Africa.

  4. Phylogenetic inertia and Darwin's higher law.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shanahan, Timothy

    2011-03-01

    The concept of 'phylogenetic inertia' is routinely deployed in evolutionary biology as an alternative to natural selection for explaining the persistence of characteristics that appear sub-optimal from an adaptationist perspective. However, in many of these contexts the precise meaning of 'phylogenetic inertia' and its relationship to selection are far from clear. After tracing the history of the concept of 'inertia' in evolutionary biology, I argue that treating phylogenetic inertia and natural selection as alternative explanations is mistaken because phylogenetic inertia is, from a Darwinian point of view, simply an expected effect of selection. Although Darwin did not discuss 'phylogenetic inertia,' he did assert the explanatory priority of selection over descent. An analysis of 'phylogenetic inertia' provides a perspective from which to assess Darwin's view. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. The transposition distance for phylogenetic trees

    OpenAIRE

    Rossello, Francesc; Valiente, Gabriel

    2006-01-01

    The search for similarity and dissimilarity measures on phylogenetic trees has been motivated by the computation of consensus trees, the search by similarity in phylogenetic databases, and the assessment of clustering results in bioinformatics. The transposition distance for fully resolved phylogenetic trees is a recent addition to the extensive collection of available metrics for comparing phylogenetic trees. In this paper, we generalize the transposition distance from fully resolved to arbi...

  6. The population structure of Escherichia coli isolated from subtropical and temperate soils

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byappanahalli, Muruleedhara N.; Yan, Tao; Hamilton, Matthew J.; Ishii, Satoshi; Fujioka, Roger S.; Whitman, Richard L.; Sadowsky, Michael J.

    2012-01-01

    While genotypically-distinct naturalized Escherichia coli strains have been shown to occur in riparian soils of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior watersheds, comparative analyses of E. coli populations in diverse soils across a range of geographic and climatic conditions have not been investigated. The main objectives of this study were to: (a) examine the population structure and genetic relatedness of E. coli isolates collected from different soil types on a tropical island (Hawaii), and (b) determine if E. coli populations from Hawaii and temperate soils (Indiana, Minnesota) shared similar genotypes that may be reflective of biome-related soil conditions. DNA fingerprint and multivariate statistical analyses were used to examine the population structure and genotypic characteristics of the E. coli isolates. About 33% (98 of 293) of the E. coli from different soil types and locations on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, had unique DNA fingerprints, indicating that these bacteria were relatively diverse; the Shannon diversity index for the population was 4.03. Nearly 60% (171 of 293) of the E. coli isolates from Hawaii clustered into two major groups and the rest, with two or more isolates, fell into one of 22 smaller groups, or individual lineages. Multivariate analysis of variance of 89, 21, and 106 unique E. coli DNA fingerprints for Hawaii, Indiana, and Minnesota soils, respectively, showed that isolates formed tight cohesive groups, clustering mainly by location. However, there were several instances of clonal isolates being shared between geographically different locations. Thus, while nearly identical E. coli strains were shared between disparate climatologically- and geographically-distinct locations, a vast majority of the soil E. coli strains were genotypically diverse and were likely derived from separate lineages. This supports the hypothesis that these bacteria are not unique and multiple genotypes can readily adapt to become part of the soil autochthonous

  7. Phylogenetic Trees From Sequences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryvkin, Paul; Wang, Li-San

    In this chapter, we review important concepts and approaches for phylogeny reconstruction from sequence data.We first cover some basic definitions and properties of phylogenetics, and briefly explain how scientists model sequence evolution and measure sequence divergence. We then discuss three major approaches for phylogenetic reconstruction: distance-based phylogenetic reconstruction, maximum parsimony, and maximum likelihood. In the third part of the chapter, we review how multiple phylogenies are compared by consensus methods and how to assess confidence using bootstrapping. At the end of the chapter are two sections that list popular software packages and additional reading.

  8. The phylogenetic likelihood library.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flouri, T; Izquierdo-Carrasco, F; Darriba, D; Aberer, A J; Nguyen, L-T; Minh, B Q; Von Haeseler, A; Stamatakis, A

    2015-03-01

    We introduce the Phylogenetic Likelihood Library (PLL), a highly optimized application programming interface for developing likelihood-based phylogenetic inference and postanalysis software. The PLL implements appropriate data structures and functions that allow users to quickly implement common, error-prone, and labor-intensive tasks, such as likelihood calculations, model parameter as well as branch length optimization, and tree space exploration. The highly optimized and parallelized implementation of the phylogenetic likelihood function and a thorough documentation provide a framework for rapid development of scalable parallel phylogenetic software. By example of two likelihood-based phylogenetic codes we show that the PLL improves the sequential performance of current software by a factor of 2-10 while requiring only 1 month of programming time for integration. We show that, when numerical scaling for preventing floating point underflow is enabled, the double precision likelihood calculations in the PLL are up to 1.9 times faster than those in BEAGLE. On an empirical DNA dataset with 2000 taxa the AVX version of PLL is 4 times faster than BEAGLE (scaling enabled and required). The PLL is available at http://www.libpll.org under the GNU General Public License (GPL). © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Society of Systematic Biologists.

  9. Locating a tree in a phylogenetic network

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Iersel, van L.J.J.; Semple, C.; Steel, M.A.

    2010-01-01

    Phylogenetic trees and networks are leaf-labelled graphs that are used to describe evolutionary histories of species. The Tree Containment problem asks whether a given phylogenetic tree is embedded in a given phylogenetic network. Given a phylogenetic network and a cluster of species, the Cluster

  10. Whole genome sequencing of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli isolated from patients, farm waste and canals in Thailand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Runcharoen, Chakkaphan; Raven, Kathy E; Reuter, Sandra; Kallonen, Teemu; Paksanont, Suporn; Thammachote, Jeeranan; Anun, Suthatip; Blane, Beth; Parkhill, Julian; Peacock, Sharon J; Chantratita, Narisara

    2017-09-06

    Tackling multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli requires evidence from One Health studies that capture numerous potential reservoirs in circumscribed geographic areas. We conducted a survey of extended β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli isolated from patients, canals and livestock wastewater in eastern Thailand between 2014 and 2015, and analyzed isolates using whole genome sequencing. The bacterial collection of 149 isolates consisted of 84 isolates from a single hospital and 65 from the hospital sewer, canals and farm wastewater within a 20 km radius. E. coli ST131 predominated the clinical collection (28.6%), but was uncommon in the environment. Genome-based comparison of E. coli from infected patients and their immediate environment indicated low genetic similarity overall between the two, although three clinical-environmental isolate pairs differed by ≤ 5 single nucleotide polymorphisms. Thai E. coli isolates were dispersed throughout a phylogenetic tree containing a global E. coli collection. All Thai ESBL-positive E. coli isolates were multidrug resistant, including high rates of resistance to tobramycin (77.2%), gentamicin (77.2%), ciprofloxacin (67.8%) and trimethoprim (68.5%). ESBL was encoded by six different CTX-M elements and SHV-12. Three isolates from clinical samples (n = 2) or a hospital sewer (n = 1) were resistant to the carbapenem drugs (encoded by NDM-1, NDM-5 or GES-5), and three isolates (clinical (n = 1) and canal water (n = 2)) were resistant to colistin (encoded by mcr-1); no isolates were resistant to both carbapenems and colistin. Tackling ESBL-producing E. coli in this setting will be challenging based on widespread distribution, but the low prevalence of resistance to carbapenems and colistin suggests that efforts are now required to prevent these from becoming ubiquitous.

  11. Molecular Phylogenetics: Concepts for a Newcomer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ajawatanawong, Pravech

    Molecular phylogenetics is the study of evolutionary relationships among organisms using molecular sequence data. The aim of this review is to introduce the important terminology and general concepts of tree reconstruction to biologists who lack a strong background in the field of molecular evolution. Some modern phylogenetic programs are easy to use because of their user-friendly interfaces, but understanding the phylogenetic algorithms and substitution models, which are based on advanced statistics, is still important for the analysis and interpretation without a guide. Briefly, there are five general steps in carrying out a phylogenetic analysis: (1) sequence data preparation, (2) sequence alignment, (3) choosing a phylogenetic reconstruction method, (4) identification of the best tree, and (5) evaluating the tree. Concepts in this review enable biologists to grasp the basic ideas behind phylogenetic analysis and also help provide a sound basis for discussions with expert phylogeneticists.

  12. Tetrapods on the EDGE: Overcoming data limitations to identify phylogenetic conservation priorities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray, Claudia L.; Wearn, Oliver R.; Owen, Nisha R.

    2018-01-01

    The scale of the ongoing biodiversity crisis requires both effective conservation prioritisation and urgent action. As extinction is non-random across the tree of life, it is important to prioritise threatened species which represent large amounts of evolutionary history. The EDGE metric prioritises species based on their Evolutionary Distinctiveness (ED), which measures the relative contribution of a species to the total evolutionary history of their taxonomic group, and Global Endangerment (GE), or extinction risk. EDGE prioritisations rely on adequate phylogenetic and extinction risk data to generate meaningful priorities for conservation. However, comprehensive phylogenetic trees of large taxonomic groups are extremely rare and, even when available, become quickly out-of-date due to the rapid rate of species descriptions and taxonomic revisions. Thus, it is important that conservationists can use the available data to incorporate evolutionary history into conservation prioritisation. We compared published and new methods to estimate missing ED scores for species absent from a phylogenetic tree whilst simultaneously correcting the ED scores of their close taxonomic relatives. We found that following artificial removal of species from a phylogenetic tree, the new method provided the closest estimates of their “true” ED score, differing from the true ED score by an average of less than 1%, compared to the 31% and 38% difference of the previous methods. The previous methods also substantially under- and over-estimated scores as more species were artificially removed from a phylogenetic tree. We therefore used the new method to estimate ED scores for all tetrapods. From these scores we updated EDGE prioritisation rankings for all tetrapod species with IUCN Red List assessments, including the first EDGE prioritisation for reptiles. Further, we identified criteria to identify robust priority species in an effort to further inform conservation action whilst

  13. Epidemiological factors associated with ESBL- and non ESBL-producing E. coli causing urinary tract infection in general practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hertz, Frederik Boëtius; Schønning, Kristian; Rasmussen, Steen Christian; Littauer, Pia; Knudsen, Jenny Dahl; Løbner-Olesen, Anders; Frimodt-Møller, Niels

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to evaluate how use of antibiotics precedes the presence of ESBL-producing E.coli in general practice. The authors performed a triple-case-control study where three case groups were individually compared to a single control group of uninfected individuals. Urine samples were prospectively collected and retrospective statistical analyses were done. This study included 98 cases with urinary tract infection (UTI) caused by ESBL-producing E. coli, 174 with antibiotic-resistant (non-ESBL) E. coli, 177 with susceptible E. coli and 200 with culture negative urine samples. Case groups had significantly higher use of antibiotics than the control group within 30 days before infection (p E. coli. Exposure to antibiotics was a risk factor for UTI with E. coli, while prior antibiotic usage was not an indisputable predictor for infection with ESBL-producing E.coli in general practice.

  14. Distribution of Escherichia coli in a coastal lagoon (Venice, Italy): Temporal patterns, genetic diversity and the role of tidal forcing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perini, L; Quero, G M; García, E Serrano; Luna, G M

    2015-12-15

    Despite its worldwide importance as fecal indicator in aquatic systems, little is known about the diversity of Escherichia coli in the environment and the factors driving its spatial distribution. The city of Venice (Italy), lying at the forefront of a large European lagoon, is an ideal site to study the mechanisms driving the fate of fecal bacteria, due to the huge fluxes of tourists, the city's unique architecture (causing poor efficiency of sewages treatment), and the long branching network of canals crossing the city. We summarize the results of a multi-year investigation to study the temporal dynamics of E. coli around the city, describe the population structure (by assigning isolates to their phylogenetic group) and the genotypic diversity, and explore the role of environmental factors in determining its variability. E. coli abundance in water was highly variable, ranging from being undetectable up to 10(4) Colony Forming Units (CFU) per 100 ml. Abundance did not display significant relationships with the water physico-chemical variables. The analysis of the population structure showed the presence of all known phylogroups, including extra-intestinal and potentially pathogenic ones. The genotypic diversity was very high, as likely consequence of the heterogeneous input of fecal bacteria from the city, and showed site-specific patterns. Intensive sampling during the tidal fluctuations highlighted the prominent role of tides, rather than environmental variables, as source of spatial variation, with a more evident influence in water than sediments. These results, the first providing information on the genetic properties, spatial heterogeneity and influence of tides on E. coli populations around Venice, have implications to manage the fecal pollution, and the associated waterborne disease risks, in coastal cities lying in front of lagoons and semi-enclosed basins. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Phylogenetic representativeness: a new method for evaluating taxon sampling in evolutionary studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Passamonti Marco

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Taxon sampling is a major concern in phylogenetic studies. Incomplete, biased, or improper taxon sampling can lead to misleading results in reconstructing evolutionary relationships. Several theoretical methods are available to optimize taxon choice in phylogenetic analyses. However, most involve some knowledge about the genetic relationships of the group of interest (i.e., the ingroup, or even a well-established phylogeny itself; these data are not always available in general phylogenetic applications. Results We propose a new method to assess taxon sampling developing Clarke and Warwick statistics. This method aims to measure the "phylogenetic representativeness" of a given sample or set of samples and it is based entirely on the pre-existing available taxonomy of the ingroup, which is commonly known to investigators. Moreover, our method also accounts for instability and discordance in taxonomies. A Python-based script suite, called PhyRe, has been developed to implement all analyses we describe in this paper. Conclusions We show that this method is sensitive and allows direct discrimination between representative and unrepresentative samples. It is also informative about the addition of taxa to improve taxonomic coverage of the ingroup. Provided that the investigators' expertise is mandatory in this field, phylogenetic representativeness makes up an objective touchstone in planning phylogenetic studies.

  16. Locating a tree in a phylogenetic network

    OpenAIRE

    van Iersel, Leo; Semple, Charles; Steel, Mike

    2010-01-01

    Phylogenetic trees and networks are leaf-labelled graphs that are used to describe evolutionary histories of species. The Tree Containment problem asks whether a given phylogenetic tree is embedded in a given phylogenetic network. Given a phylogenetic network and a cluster of species, the Cluster Containment problem asks whether the given cluster is a cluster of some phylogenetic tree embedded in the network. Both problems are known to be NP-complete in general. In this article, we consider t...

  17. Nonbinary tree-based phylogenetic networks

    OpenAIRE

    Jetten, Laura; van Iersel, Leo

    2016-01-01

    Rooted phylogenetic networks are used to describe evolutionary histories that contain non-treelike evolutionary events such as hybridization and horizontal gene transfer. In some cases, such histories can be described by a phylogenetic base-tree with additional linking arcs, which can for example represent gene transfer events. Such phylogenetic networks are called tree-based. Here, we consider two possible generalizations of this concept to nonbinary networks, which we call tree-based and st...

  18. Encoding phylogenetic trees in terms of weighted quartets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grünewald, Stefan; Huber, Katharina T; Moulton, Vincent; Semple, Charles

    2008-04-01

    One of the main problems in phylogenetics is to develop systematic methods for constructing evolutionary or phylogenetic trees. For a set of species X, an edge-weighted phylogenetic X-tree or phylogenetic tree is a (graph theoretical) tree with leaf set X and no degree 2 vertices, together with a map assigning a non-negative length to each edge of the tree. Within phylogenetics, several methods have been proposed for constructing such trees that work by trying to piece together quartet trees on X, i.e. phylogenetic trees each having four leaves in X. Hence, it is of interest to characterise when a collection of quartet trees corresponds to a (unique) phylogenetic tree. Recently, Dress and Erdös provided such a characterisation for binary phylogenetic trees, that is, phylogenetic trees all of whose internal vertices have degree 3. Here we provide a new characterisation for arbitrary phylogenetic trees.

  19. E. coli O124 K72 alters the intestinal barrier and the tight junctions proteins of guinea pig intestine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, Xiaomeng; Zhu, Yanyan; Gamallat, Yaser; Ma, Shenhao; Chiwala, Gift; Meyiah, Abdo; Xin, Yi

    2017-10-01

    Our research group previously isolated and identified a strain of pathogenic Escherichia coli from clinical samples called E. coli O124 K72. The present study was aimed at determining the potential effects of E. coli O124 K72 on intestinal barrier functions and structural proteins integrity in guinea pig. Guinea pigs were grouped into three groups; control (CG); E. coli O124 K72 (E. coli); and probiotics Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LGG). Initially, we create intestinal dysbiosis by giving all animals Levofloxacin for 10days, but the control group (CG) received the same volume of saline. Then, the animals received either E. coli O124 K72 (E. coli) or Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LGG) according to their assigned group. E. coli O124 K72 treatment significantly affected colon morphology and distorted intestinal barrier function by up-regulating Claudin2 and down-regulating Occludin. In addition, E. coli upregulated the mRNA expression of MUC1, MUC2, MUC13 and MUC15. Furthermore, suspected tumor was found in the E. coli treated animals. Our results suggested that E. coli O124 K72 strain has adverse effects on intestinal barrier functions and is capable of altering integrity of structural proteins in guinea pig model while at same time it may have a role in colon carcinogenesis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  20. Peptidoglycan Association of Murein Lipoprotein Is Required for KpsD-Dependent Group 2 Capsular Polysaccharide Expression and Serum Resistance in a Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Isolate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diao, Jingyu; Bouwman, Catrien; Yan, Donghong; Kang, Jing; Katakam, Anand K; Liu, Peter; Pantua, Homer; Abbas, Alexander R; Nickerson, Nicholas N; Austin, Cary; Reichelt, Mike; Sandoval, Wendy; Xu, Min; Whitfield, Chris; Kapadia, Sharookh B

    2017-05-23

    Murein lipoprotein (Lpp) and peptidoglycan-associated lipoprotein (Pal) are major outer membrane lipoproteins in Escherichia coli Their roles in cell-envelope integrity have been documented in E. coli laboratory strains, and while Lpp has been linked to serum resistance in vitro , the underlying mechanism has not been established. Here, lpp and pal mutants of uropathogenic E. coli strain CFT073 showed reduced survival in a mouse bacteremia model, but only the lpp mutant was sensitive to serum killing in vitro The peptidoglycan-bound Lpp form was specifically required for preventing complement-mediated bacterial lysis in vitro and complement-mediated clearance in vivo Compared to the wild-type strain, the lpp mutant had impaired K2 capsular polysaccharide production and was unable to respond to exposure to serum by elevating capsular polysaccharide amounts. These properties correlated with altered cellular distribution of KpsD, the predicted outer membrane translocon for "group 2" capsular polysaccharides. We identified a novel Lpp-dependent association between functional KpsD and peptidoglycan, highlighting important interplay between cell envelope components required for resistance to complement-mediated lysis in uropathogenic E. coli isolates. IMPORTANCE Uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) isolates represent a significant cause of nosocomial urinary tract and bloodstream infections. Many UPEC isolates are resistant to serum killing. Here, we show that a major cell-envelope lipoprotein (murein lipoprotein) is required for serum resistance in vitro and for complement-mediated bacterial clearance in vivo This is mediated, in part, through a novel mechanism by which murein lipoprotein affects the proper assembly of a key component of the machinery involved in production of "group 2" capsules. The absence of murein lipoprotein results in impaired production of the capsule layer, a known participant in complement resistance. These results demonstrate an important role for

  1. Continental scale patterns and predictors of fern richness and phylogenetic diversity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nathalie eNagalingum

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Because ferns have a wide range of habitat preferences and are widely distributed, they are an ideal group for understanding how diversity is distributed. Here we examine fern diversity on a broad-scale using standard and corrected richness measures as well as phylogenetic indices; in addition we determine the environmental predictors of each diversity metric. Using the combined records of Australian herbaria, a dataset of over 60,000 records was obtained for 89 genera to infer richness. A phylogenetic tree of all the genera was constructed and combined with the herbarium records to obtain phylogenetic diversity patterns. A hotspot of both taxic and phylogenetic diversity occurs in the Wet Tropics of northeastern Australia. Although considerable diversity is distributed along the eastern coast, some important regions of diversity are identified only after sample-standardization of richness and through the phylogenetic metric. Of all of the metrics, annual precipitation was identified as the most explanatory variable, in part, in agreement with global and regional fern studies. Precipitation was combined with a different variable for each different metric. For corrected richness, precipitation is combined with temperature seasonality, while correlation of phylogenetic diversity to precipitation plus radiation indicates support for the species-energy hypothesis. Significantly high and significantly low phylogenetic diversity were found in geographically separate areas. These areas are correlated with different climatic conditions such as seasonality in precipitation. The use of phylogenetic metrics identifies additional areas of significant diversity, some of which have not been revealed using traditional taxonomic analyses, suggesting that different ecological and evolutionary processes have operated over the continent. Our study demonstrates that it is possible and vital to incorporate evolutionary metrics when inferring biodiversity hotspots

  2. High dietary zinc feeding promotes persistence of multi-resistant E. coli in the swine gut.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ciesinski, Lisa; Guenther, Sebastian; Pieper, Robert; Kalisch, Martin; Bednorz, Carmen; Wieler, Lothar H

    2018-01-01

    High levels of zinc oxide are used frequently as feed additive in pigs to improve gut health and growth performance and are still suggested as an alternative to antimicrobial growth promoters. However, we have recently described an increase of multi-resistant E. coli in association to zinc feeding in piglets. This previous study focused on clonal diversity of E. coli, observing the effect on multi-resistant strains by chance. To shed further light into this highly important topic and falsify our previous findings, we performed a zinc pig feeding trial where we specifically focused on in-depth analysis of antimicrobial resistant E. coli. Under controlled experimental conditions, piglets were randomly allocated to a high dietary zinc (zinc group) and a background zinc feeding group (control group). At different ages samples were taken from feces, digesta, and mucosa and absolute E. coli numbers were determined. A total of 2665 E. coli isolates were than phenotypically tested for antimicrobial resistance and results were confirmed by minimum inhibitory concentration testing for random samples. In piglets fed with high dietary zinc, we detected a substantial increase of multi-resistant E. coli in all gut habitats tested, ranging from 28.9-30.2% multi-resistant E. coli compared to 5.8-14.0% in the control group. This increase was independent of the total number of E. coli. Interestingly, the total amount of the E. coli population decreased over time. Thus, the increase of the multi-resistant E. coli populations seems to be linked with persistence of the resistant population, caused by the influence of high dietary zinc feeding. In conclusion, these findings corroborate our previous report linking high dietary zinc feeding of piglets with the occurrence of antimicrobial resistant E. coli and therefore question the feeding of high dietary zinc oxide as alternative to antimicrobial growth promoters.

  3. Global patterns of amphibian phylogenetic diversity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fritz, Susanne; Rahbek, Carsten

    2012-01-01

    Aim  Phylogenetic diversity can provide insight into how evolutionary processes may have shaped contemporary patterns of species richness. Here, we aim to test for the influence of phylogenetic history on global patterns of amphibian species richness, and to identify areas where macroevolutionary...... processes such as diversification and dispersal have left strong signatures on contemporary species richness. Location  Global; equal-area grid cells of approximately 10,000 km2. Methods  We generated an amphibian global supertree (6111 species) and repeated analyses with the largest available molecular...... phylogeny (2792 species). We combined each tree with global species distributions to map four indices of phylogenetic diversity. To investigate congruence between global spatial patterns of amphibian species richness and phylogenetic diversity, we selected Faith’s phylogenetic diversity (PD) index...

  4. Standardisation of a new model of H9N2/Escherichia coli challenge in broilers in the Lebanon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elie K. Barbour

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Primary infection by low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI predisposes for secondary infection by Escherichia coli in poultry, leading to significant economic losses. Future research in control of this ailment requires the establishment of a successful controlled challenge by avian influenza virus (AIV/E. coli. Six groups of broilers (6 birds/group were included for the standardisation of the controlled challenge by AIV/E. coli. Birds in groups 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 received an intra-tracheal challenge of 0.5 ml of two haemagglutinating units of H9N2 virus at 20 days of age. At the age of 23 days, birds in group 1 received an intra-thoracic (right air sac-E. coli challenge equivalent to 1.6 × 109 colony-forming units (cfu/0.5 ml/bird, while birds in groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 received E. coli by the same route and in the following respective decreasing order of viable cells: 1.6 × 106, 1.6 × 105, 1.6 × 104 and 1.6 × 103 cfu. Birds in control group 6 were deprived of H9N2 and E. coli challenge. Results showed significant early mortality in group 1 that was challenged with the highest number of E. coli, in comparison to groups 2-6 (p0.05. The frequencies of four signs at 2 days and at 5 days post E. coli challenge (conjunctivitis, diarrhoea, ocular exudates and rales in the surviving birds of groups 2-5 were most often higher than those observed in control group 6 (p<0.05. These four signs and five gross lesions (abdominal airsacculitis, left thoracic airsacculitis, pericarditis, right thoracic airsacculitis and tracheitis had a decreasing pattern of frequency related to a decrease in the E. coli count used in the challenge.

  5. Escherichia coli pathotypes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Escherichia coli strains are important commensals of the intestinal tract of humans and animals; however, pathogenic strains, including diarrhea-inducing E. coli and extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli. Intestinal E. coli pathotypes may cause a dehydrating watery diarrhea, or more severe diseases su...

  6. Tree-Based Unrooted Phylogenetic Networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Francis, A; Huber, K T; Moulton, V

    2018-02-01

    Phylogenetic networks are a generalization of phylogenetic trees that are used to represent non-tree-like evolutionary histories that arise in organisms such as plants and bacteria, or uncertainty in evolutionary histories. An unrooted phylogenetic network on a non-empty, finite set X of taxa, or network, is a connected, simple graph in which every vertex has degree 1 or 3 and whose leaf set is X. It is called a phylogenetic tree if the underlying graph is a tree. In this paper we consider properties of tree-based networks, that is, networks that can be constructed by adding edges into a phylogenetic tree. We show that although they have some properties in common with their rooted analogues which have recently drawn much attention in the literature, they have some striking differences in terms of both their structural and computational properties. We expect that our results could eventually have applications to, for example, detecting horizontal gene transfer or hybridization which are important factors in the evolution of many organisms.

  7. Plant traits determine the phylogenetic structure of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    López-García, Álvaro; Varela-Cervero, Sara; Vasar, Martti; Öpik, Maarja; Barea, José M; Azcón-Aguilar, Concepción

    2017-12-01

    Functional diversity in ecosystems has traditionally been studied using aboveground plant traits. Despite the known effect of plant traits on the microbial community composition, their effects on the microbial functional diversity are only starting to be assessed. In this study, the phylogenetic structure of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal communities associated with plant species differing in life cycle and growth form, that is, plant life forms, was determined to unravel the effect of plant traits on the functional diversity of this fungal group. The results of the 454 pyrosequencing showed that the AM fungal community composition differed across plant life forms and this effect was dependent on the soil collection date. Plants with ruderal characteristics tended to associate with phylogenetically clustered AM fungal communities. By contrast, plants with resource-conservative traits associated with phylogenetically overdispersed AM fungal communities. Additionally, the soil collected in different seasons yielded AM fungal communities with different phylogenetic dispersion. In summary, we found that the phylogenetic structure, and hence the functional diversity, of AM fungal communities is dependent on plant traits. This finding adds value to the use of plant traits for the evaluation of belowground ecosystem diversity, functions and processes. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Phylogenetic relationships in the "grossulariae" species group of the genus Aphis (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Aphididae): Molecular evidence

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Turcinaviciene, Jorga; Rakauskas, Rimantas; Pedersen, Bo Vest

    2006-01-01

    Phylogenetic relationships among Palaearctic Ribes and/or Onagraceae inhabiting Aphis species from five countries were examined using mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase I (CO-I) and nuclear gene elongation factor 1 a (EF-1a) sequences. There was no major conflict between the trees obtained fro...

  9. Phylogenetic stratigraphy in the Guerrero Negro hypersaline microbial mat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, J Kirk; Caporaso, J Gregory; Walker, Jeffrey J; Spear, John R; Gold, Nicholas J; Robertson, Charles E; Hugenholtz, Philip; Goodrich, Julia; McDonald, Daniel; Knights, Dan; Marshall, Paul; Tufo, Henry; Knight, Rob; Pace, Norman R

    2013-01-01

    The microbial mats of Guerrero Negro (GN), Baja California Sur, Mexico historically were considered a simple environment, dominated by cyanobacteria and sulfate-reducing bacteria. Culture-independent rRNA community profiling instead revealed these microbial mats as among the most phylogenetically diverse environments known. A preliminary molecular survey of the GN mat based on only ∼1500 small subunit rRNA gene sequences discovered several new phylum-level groups in the bacterial phylogenetic domain and many previously undetected lower-level taxa. We determined an additional ∼119,000 nearly full-length sequences and 28,000 >200 nucleotide 454 reads from a 10-layer depth profile of the GN mat. With this unprecedented coverage of long sequences from one environment, we confirm the mat is phylogenetically stratified, presumably corresponding to light and geochemical gradients throughout the depth of the mat. Previous shotgun metagenomic data from the same depth profile show the same stratified pattern and suggest that metagenome properties may be predictable from rRNA gene sequences. We verify previously identified novel lineages and identify new phylogenetic diversity at lower taxonomic levels, for example, thousands of operational taxonomic units at the family-genus levels differ considerably from known sequences. The new sequences populate parts of the bacterial phylogenetic tree that previously were poorly described, but indicate that any comprehensive survey of GN diversity has only begun. Finally, we show that taxonomic conclusions are generally congruent between Sanger and 454 sequencing technologies, with the taxonomic resolution achieved dependent on the abundance of reference sequences in the relevant region of the rRNA tree of life.

  10. Phylogenetic position of Loricifera inferred from nearly complete 18S and 28S rRNA gene sequences

    OpenAIRE

    Yamasaki, Hiroshi; Fujimoto, Shinta; Miyazaki, Katsumi

    2015-01-01

    Background Loricifera is an enigmatic metazoan phylum; its morphology appeared to place it with Priapulida and Kinorhyncha in the group Scalidophora which, along with Nematoida (Nematoda and Nematomorpha), comprised the group Cycloneuralia. Scarce molecular data have suggested an alternative phylogenetic hypothesis, that the phylum Loricifera is a sister taxon to Nematomorpha, although the actual phylogenetic position of the phylum remains unclear. Methods Ecdysozoan phylogeny was reconstruct...

  11. Conformation of phylogenetic relationship of Penaeidae shrimp based on morphometric and molecular investigations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajakumaran, P; Vaseeharan, B; Jayakumar, R; Chidambara, R

    2014-01-01

    Understanding of accurate phylogenetic relationship among Penaeidae shrimp is important for academic and fisheries industry. The Morphometric and Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was used to make the phylogenetic relationsip among 13 Penaeidae shrimp. For morphometric analysis forty variables and total lengths of shrimp were measured for each species, and removed the effect of size variation. The size normalized values obtained was subjected to UPGMA (Unweighted Pair-Group Method with Arithmetic Mean) cluster analysis. For RAPD analysis, the four primers showed reliable differentiation between species, and used correlation coefficient between the DNA banding patterns of 13 Penaeidae species to construct UPGMA dendrogram. Phylogenetic relationship from morphometric and molecular analysis for Penaeidae species found to be congruent. We concluded that as the results from morphometry investigations concur with molecular one, phylogenetic relationship obtained for the studied Penaeidae are considered to be reliable.

  12. Cytolysin a expressing E. coli a promising candidate for imageable therapeutic probe

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nguyen, Vu Hong; Phan, Thuy Xuan; Hong, Yeoung Jin; Min, Jung Joon

    2007-01-01

    Using bacteria for cancer treatment has a long history. Discovery of optical reporter genes consisting of fluorescent and luminescent protein facilitates the monitor of bacteria in vivo, non-invasively and repeatedly. E. coli, the natural enteric bacteria possessing capacity of tumor-targeting ability, seems to be suitable candidate for cancer treatment. In this study, we established the strain light-emitting E. coli for diagnostic purpose and Cytolysin A (Cly A) expressing E. coli for therapeutic purpose. E. coli (MG1655, wild type strain) was transformed plasmid pUC19 carrying lux gene to create the light expressing bacteria and test the tumor targeting-capacity by injecting the bacteria into CT26-tumor bearing mice via tail vein. On the other hand, for therapeutic purpose, plasmid containing Cly A gene, which is encoded for a pore-forming protein toxin, was introduced into E. coli. The toxicity of Cly A was evaluated in vitro by inoculating the bacteria with various cultured cancer cell lines. On the other hand, to test the therapeutic effect, the bacteria were injected intratumorally and intravenously into s.c.CT26-bearing as well as CT26-lung metastasized Balb/c mice. In vivo imaging data showed that the E. coli strains selectively located in the tumor. The in vitro result showed that the number of death cells were significantly higher in the samples containing E. coli expressing Cly A (E. coli Cly A) compared with the samples containing wild type strain. The growth of tumors was repressed in mice injected with either E. coli Cly A (significantly) or wild type E. coli (mildly), while tumors in no treatment group still grew fast. Furthermore, the tumors inoculated with E. coli cly A were necrotized but not with wild type E. coli. In the CT26-lung metastasized mouse model, the life span of mice was elongated when inject E. coli and longer in the group injected with E. coli cly A. Cly A expressing E. coli can become an effective candidate for imageable

  13. Quantitative analysis of commensal Escherichia coli populations reveals host-specific enterotypes at the intra-species level.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smati, Mounira; Clermont, Olivier; Bleibtreu, Alexandre; Fourreau, Frédéric; David, Anthony; Daubié, Anne-Sophie; Hignard, Cécile; Loison, Odile; Picard, Bertrand; Denamur, Erick

    2015-08-01

    The primary habitat of the Escherichia coli species is the gut of warm-blooded vertebrates. The E. coli species is structured into four main phylogenetic groups A, B1, B2, and D. We estimated the relative proportions of these phylogroups in the feces of 137 wild and domesticated animals with various diets living in the Ile de France (Paris) region by real-time PCR. We distinguished three main clusters characterized by a particular abundance of two or more phylogroups within the E. coli animal commensal populations, which we called "enterocolitypes" by analogy with the enterotypes defined in the human gut microbiota at the genus level. These enterocolitypes were characterized by a dominant (>50%) B2, B1, or A phylogroup and were associated with different host species, diets, and habitats: wild and herbivorous species (wild rabbits and deer), domesticated herbivorous species (domesticated rabbits, horses, sheep, and cows), and omnivorous species (boar, pigs, and chickens), respectively. By analyzing retrospectively the data obtained using the same approach from 98 healthy humans living in Ile de France (Smati et al. 2013, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 79, 5005-5012), we identified a specific human enterocolitype characterized by the dominant and/or exclusive (>90%) presence of phylogroup B2. We then compared B2 strains isolated from animals and humans, and revealed that human and animal strains differ regarding O-type and B2 subgroup. Moreover, two genes, sfa/foc and clbQ, were associated with the exclusive character of strains, observed only in humans. In conclusion, a complex network of interactions exists at several levels (genus and intra-species) within the intestinal microbiota. © 2015 The Authors. MicrobiologyOpen published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Comparative sequence analysis of acid sensitive/resistance proteins in Escherichia coli and Shigella flexneri

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manikandan, Selvaraj; Balaji, Seetharaaman; Kumar, Anil; Kumar, Rita

    2007-01-01

    The molecular basis for the survival of bacteria under extreme conditions in which growth is inhibited is a question of great current interest. A preliminary study was carried out to determine residue pattern conservation among the antiporters of enteric bacteria, responsible for extreme acid sensitivity especially in Escherichia coli and Shigella flexneri. Here we found the molecular evidence that proved the relationship between E. coli and S. flexneri. Multiple sequence alignment of the gadC coded acid sensitive antiporter showed many conserved residue patterns at regular intervals at the N-terminal region. It was observed that as the alignment approaches towards the C-terminal, the number of conserved residues decreases, indicating that the N-terminal region of this protein has much active role when compared to the carboxyl terminal. The motif, FHLVFFLLLGG, is well conserved within the entire gadC coded protein at the amino terminal. The motif is also partially conserved among other antiporters (which are not coded by gadC) but involved in acid sensitive/resistance mechanism. Phylogenetic cluster analysis proves the relationship of Escherichia coli and Shigella flexneri. The gadC coded proteins are converged as a clade and diverged from other antiporters belongs to the amino acid-polyamine-organocation (APC) superfamily. PMID:21670792

  15. Nodal distances for rooted phylogenetic trees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cardona, Gabriel; Llabrés, Mercè; Rosselló, Francesc; Valiente, Gabriel

    2010-08-01

    Dissimilarity measures for (possibly weighted) phylogenetic trees based on the comparison of their vectors of path lengths between pairs of taxa, have been present in the systematics literature since the early seventies. For rooted phylogenetic trees, however, these vectors can only separate non-weighted binary trees, and therefore these dissimilarity measures are metrics only on this class of rooted phylogenetic trees. In this paper we overcome this problem, by splitting in a suitable way each path length between two taxa into two lengths. We prove that the resulting splitted path lengths matrices single out arbitrary rooted phylogenetic trees with nested taxa and arcs weighted in the set of positive real numbers. This allows the definition of metrics on this general class of rooted phylogenetic trees by comparing these matrices through metrics in spaces M(n)(R) of real-valued n x n matrices. We conclude this paper by establishing some basic facts about the metrics for non-weighted phylogenetic trees defined in this way using L(p) metrics on M(n)(R), with p [epsilon] R(>0).

  16. Ant-Based Phylogenetic Reconstruction (ABPR: A new distance algorithm for phylogenetic estimation based on ant colony optimization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karla Vittori

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available We propose a new distance algorithm for phylogenetic estimation based on Ant Colony Optimization (ACO, named Ant-Based Phylogenetic Reconstruction (ABPR. ABPR joins two taxa iteratively based on evolutionary distance among sequences, while also accounting for the quality of the phylogenetic tree built according to the total length of the tree. Similar to optimization algorithms for phylogenetic estimation, the algorithm allows exploration of a larger set of nearly optimal solutions. We applied the algorithm to four empirical data sets of mitochondrial DNA ranging from 12 to 186 sequences, and from 898 to 16,608 base pairs, and covering taxonomic levels from populations to orders. We show that ABPR performs better than the commonly used Neighbor-Joining algorithm, except when sequences are too closely related (e.g., population-level sequences. The phylogenetic relationships recovered at and above species level by ABPR agree with conventional views. However, like other algorithms of phylogenetic estimation, the proposed algorithm failed to recover expected relationships when distances are too similar or when rates of evolution are very variable, leading to the problem of long-branch attraction. ABPR, as well as other ACO-based algorithms, is emerging as a fast and accurate alternative method of phylogenetic estimation for large data sets.

  17. The dnd operon for DNA phosphorothioation modification system in Escherichia coli is located in diverse genomic islands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ho, Wing Sze; Ou, Hong-Yu; Yeo, Chew Chieng; Thong, Kwai Lin

    2015-03-17

    Strains of Escherichia coli that are non-typeable by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) due to in-gel degradation can influence their molecular epidemiological data. The DNA degradation phenotype (Dnd(+)) is mediated by the dnd operon that encode enzymes catalyzing the phosphorothioation of DNA, rendering the modified DNA susceptible to oxidative cleavage during a PFGE run. In this study, a PCR assay was developed to detect the presence of the dnd operon in Dnd(+) E. coli strains and to improve their typeability. Investigations into the genetic environments of the dnd operon in various E. coli strains led to the discovery that the dnd operon is harboured in various diverse genomic islands. The dndBCDE genes (dnd operon) were detected in all Dnd(+) E. coli strains by PCR. The addition of thiourea improved the typeability of Dnd(+) E. coli strains to 100% using PFGE and the Dnd(+) phenotype can be observed in both clonal and genetically diverse E. coli strains. Genomic analysis of 101 dnd operons from genome sequences of Enterobacteriaceae revealed that the dnd operons of the same bacterial species were generally clustered together in the phylogenetic tree. Further analysis of dnd operons of 52 E. coli genomes together with their respective immediate genetic environments revealed a total of 7 types of genetic organizations, all of which were found to be associated with genomic islands designated dnd-encoding GIs. The dnd-encoding GIs displayed mosaic structure and the genomic context of the 7 islands (with 1 representative genome from each type of genetic organization) were also highly variable, suggesting multiple recombination events. This is also the first report where two dnd operons were found within a strain although the biological implication is unknown. Surprisingly, dnd operons were frequently found in pathogenic E. coli although their link with virulence has not been explored. Genomic islands likely play an important role in facilitating the horizontal

  18. The Potamophylax nigricornis group (Trichoptera, Limnephilidae: resolution of phylogenetic species by fine structure analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oláh, J.

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Applying the phylogenetic species concept and the sexual selection theory we have reviewed some natal aspects of incipient species and their accelerated evolution. How can we recognise early stages of divergence? Which selection pressures are at work during speciation? Which pathways accelerate the speed of speciation? Which kinds of trait variabilities makes difficult to find initial split criteria? Elaborating the principles of Fine Structure Analysis (FSA and the morphological Initial Split Criteria (ISP it was discovered that the European spring dwelling caddisfly Potamophylax nigricornis doesn’tbelong to a single species. It represents an entire species group with seventeen peripatric species evolving on the southernperipheries of the distributional area. Four new species subgroups have been erected: Potamophylax nigricornis new species subgroup, P. elegantulus new species subgroup, P. horgos new species subgroup, P. simas new species subgroup. Eleven new species have been described: Potamophylax apados sp. nov., P. fules sp. nov., P. fureses sp. nov., P. hasas sp. novov., P. horgos sp. nov., P. kethas sp. nov., P. lemezes sp. nov., P. peremes sp. nov., P. simas sp. nov., P. tuskes sp. nov., P. ureges sp. nov. One Potamophylax sp. nov. has been differentiated and three new species status have been documented:Potamophylax elegantulus (Klapálek stat. n., P. mista (Navás stat. nov., P. testaceus (Zetterstedt stat. nov.

  19. Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Determinants of Functional Composition of Bolivian Bat Assemblages.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis F Aguirre

    Full Text Available Understanding diversity patterns and the potential mechanisms driving them is a fundamental goal in ecology. Examination of different dimensions of biodiversity can provide insights into the relative importance of different processes acting upon biotas to shape communities. Unfortunately, patterns of diversity are still poorly understood in hyper-diverse tropical countries. Here, we assess spatial variation of taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity of bat assemblages in one of the least studied Neotropical countries, Bolivia, and determine whether changes in biodiversity are explained by the replacement of species or functional groups, or by differences in richness (i.e., gain or loss of species or functional groups. Further, we evaluate the contribution of phylogenetic and taxonomic changes in the resulting patterns of functional diversity of bats. Using well-sampled assemblages from published studies we examine noctilionoid bats at ten study sites across five ecoregions in Bolivia. Bat assemblages differed from each other in all dimensions of biodiversity considered; however, diversity patterns for each dimension were likely structured by different mechanisms. Within ecoregions, differences were largely explained by species richness, suggesting that the gain or loss of species or functional groups (as opposed to replacement was driving dissimilarity patterns. Overall, our results suggest that whereas evolutionary processes (i.e., historical connection and dispersal routes across Bolivia create a template of diversity patterns across the country, ecological mechanisms modify these templates, decoupling the observed patterns of functional, taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity in Bolivian bats. Our results suggests that elevation represents an important source of variability among diversity patterns for each dimension of diversity considered. Further, we found that neither phylogenetic nor taxonomic diversity can fully account for

  20. Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Determinants of Functional Composition of Bolivian Bat Assemblages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aguirre, Luis F; Montaño-Centellas, Flavia A; Gavilanez, M Mercedes; Stevens, Richard D

    2016-01-01

    Understanding diversity patterns and the potential mechanisms driving them is a fundamental goal in ecology. Examination of different dimensions of biodiversity can provide insights into the relative importance of different processes acting upon biotas to shape communities. Unfortunately, patterns of diversity are still poorly understood in hyper-diverse tropical countries. Here, we assess spatial variation of taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity of bat assemblages in one of the least studied Neotropical countries, Bolivia, and determine whether changes in biodiversity are explained by the replacement of species or functional groups, or by differences in richness (i.e., gain or loss of species or functional groups). Further, we evaluate the contribution of phylogenetic and taxonomic changes in the resulting patterns of functional diversity of bats. Using well-sampled assemblages from published studies we examine noctilionoid bats at ten study sites across five ecoregions in Bolivia. Bat assemblages differed from each other in all dimensions of biodiversity considered; however, diversity patterns for each dimension were likely structured by different mechanisms. Within ecoregions, differences were largely explained by species richness, suggesting that the gain or loss of species or functional groups (as opposed to replacement) was driving dissimilarity patterns. Overall, our results suggest that whereas evolutionary processes (i.e., historical connection and dispersal routes across Bolivia) create a template of diversity patterns across the country, ecological mechanisms modify these templates, decoupling the observed patterns of functional, taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity in Bolivian bats. Our results suggests that elevation represents an important source of variability among diversity patterns for each dimension of diversity considered. Further, we found that neither phylogenetic nor taxonomic diversity can fully account for patterns of functional

  1. Assembly and phylogenetic structure of Neotropical palm communities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Eiserhardt, Wolf L.; Svenning, J.-C.; Balslev, Henrik

    Diversity, composition and dynamics of Neotropical palm communities are receiving an increasing amount of attention due to their economic importance, but also because their high species richness and functional diversity render them valuable model systems for overall forest biodiversity. However......, to better understand these palm communities, it is crucial to gain insight into the mechanisms responsible for their assembly. These can be dispersal limitation, environmental filtering, or biotic interactions. If the degree of niche conservatism is known for a group of organisms, patterns of community...... an unspecific assumption of “general niche conservatism”, phylogenetic signal will be analysed for Neotropical palms. Moreover, as an example for evolutionary mechanisms disrupting phylogenetic signal, speciation modes will be examined in selected genera. With the combined results we aim to show the relative...

  2. On Tree-Based Phylogenetic Networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Louxin

    2016-07-01

    A large class of phylogenetic networks can be obtained from trees by the addition of horizontal edges between the tree edges. These networks are called tree-based networks. We present a simple necessary and sufficient condition for tree-based networks and prove that a universal tree-based network exists for any number of taxa that contains as its base every phylogenetic tree on the same set of taxa. This answers two problems posted by Francis and Steel recently. A byproduct is a computer program for generating random binary phylogenetic networks under the uniform distribution model.

  3. Seawater is a reservoir of multi-resistant Escherichia coli, including strains hosting plasmid-mediated quinolones resistance and extended-spectrum beta-lactamases genes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alves, Marta S; Pereira, Anabela; Araújo, Susana M; Castro, Bruno B; Correia, António C M; Henriques, Isabel

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this study was to examine antibiotic resistance (AR) dissemination in coastal water, considering the contribution of different sources of fecal contamination. Samples were collected in Berlenga, an uninhabited island classified as Natural Reserve and visited by tourists for aquatic recreational activities. To achieve our aim, AR in Escherichia coli isolates from coastal water was compared to AR in isolates from two sources of fecal contamination: human-derived sewage and seagull feces. Isolation of E. coli was done on Chromocult agar. Based on genetic typing 414 strains were established. Distribution of E. coli phylogenetic groups was similar among isolates of all sources. Resistances to streptomycin, tetracycline, cephalothin, and amoxicillin were the most frequent. Higher rates of AR were found among seawater and feces isolates, except for last-line antibiotics used in human medicine. Multi-resistance rates in isolates from sewage and seagull feces (29 and 32%) were lower than in isolates from seawater (39%). Seawater AR profiles were similar to those from seagull feces and differed significantly from sewage AR profiles. Nucleotide sequences matching resistance genes bla TEM, sul1, sul2, tet(A), and tet(B), were present in isolates of all sources. Genes conferring resistance to 3rd generation cephalosporins were detected in seawater (bla CTX-M-1 and bla SHV-12) and seagull feces (bla CMY-2). Plasmid-mediated determinants of resistance to quinolones were found: qnrS1 in all sources and qnrB19 in seawater and seagull feces. Our results show that seawater is a relevant reservoir of AR and that seagulls are an efficient vehicle to spread human-associated bacteria and resistance genes. The E. coli resistome recaptured from Berlenga coastal water was mainly modulated by seagulls-derived fecal pollution. The repertoire of resistance genes covers antibiotics critically important for humans, a potential risk for human health.

  4. Seawater is a reservoir of multi-resistant Escherichia coli, including strains hosting plasmid-mediated quinolones resistance and extended-spectrum beta-lactamases genes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marta S. Alves

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to examine antibiotic resistance (AR dissemination in coastal water, considering the contribution of different sources of faecal contamination. Samples were collected in Berlenga, an uninhabited island classified as Natural Reserve and visited by tourists for aquatic recreational activities. To achieve our aim, AR in Escherichia coli isolates from coastal water was compared to AR in isolates from two sources of faecal contamination: human-derived sewage and seagull faeces. Isolation of E. coli was done on Chromocult agar. Based on genetic typing 414 strains were established. Distribution of E. coli phylogenetic groups was similar among isolates of all sources. Resistances to streptomycin, tetracycline, cephalothin and amoxicillin were the most frequent. Higher rates of AR were found among seawater and faeces isolates, except for last-line antibiotics used in human medicine. Multi-resistance rates in isolates from sewage and seagull faeces (29% and 32% were lower than in isolates from seawater (39%. Seawater AR profiles were similar to those from seagull faeces and differed significantly from sewage AR profiles. Nucleotide sequences matching resistance genes blaTEM, sul1, sul2, tet(A and tet(B, were present in isolates of all sources. Genes conferring resistance to 3rd generation cephalosporins were detected in seawater (blaCTX-M-1 and blaSHV-12 and seagull faeces (blaCMY-2. Plasmid-mediated determinants of resistance to quinolones were found: qnrS1 in all sources and qnrB19 in seawater and seagull faeces. Our results show that seawater is a relevant reservoir of AR and that seagulls are an efficient vehicle to spread human-associated bacteria and resistance genes. The E. coli resistome recaptured from Berlenga coastal water was mainly modulated by seagulls-derived faecal pollution. The repertoire of resistance genes covers antibiotics critically important for humans, a potential risk for human health.

  5. Phylogenetic diversity and relationships among species of genus ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Fifty six Nicotiana species were used to construct phylogenetic trees and to asses the genetic relationships between them. Genetic distances estimated from RAPD analysis was used to construct phylogenetic trees using Phylogenetic Inference Package (PHYLIP). Since phylogenetic relationships estimated for closely ...

  6. The ethnobotany of psychoactive plant use: a phylogenetic perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nashmiah Aid Alrashedy

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Psychoactive plants contain chemicals that presumably evolved as allelochemicals but target certain neuronal receptors when consumed by humans, altering perception, emotion and cognition. These plants have been used since ancient times as medicines and in the context of religious rituals for their various psychoactive effects (e.g., as hallucinogens, stimulants, sedatives. The ubiquity of psychoactive plants in various cultures motivates investigation of the commonalities among these plants, in which a phylogenetic framework may be insightful. A phylogeny of culturally diverse psychoactive plant taxa was constructed with their psychotropic effects and affected neurotransmitter systems mapped on the phylogeny. The phylogenetic distribution shows multiple evolutionary origins of psychoactive families. The plant families Myristicaceae (e.g., nutmeg, Papaveraceae (opium poppy, Cactaceae (peyote, Convolvulaceae (morning glory, Solanaceae (tobacco, Lamiaceae (mints, Apocynaceae (dogbane have a disproportionate number of psychoactive genera with various indigenous groups using geographically disparate members of these plant families for the same psychoactive effect, an example of cultural convergence. Pharmacological traits related to hallucinogenic and sedative potential are phylogenetically conserved within families. Unrelated families that exert similar psychoactive effects also modulate similar neurotransmitter systems (i.e., mechanistic convergence. However, pharmacological mechanisms for stimulant effects were varied even within families suggesting that stimulant chemicals may be more evolutionarily labile than those associated with hallucinogenic and sedative effects. Chemically similar psychoactive chemicals may also exist in phylogenetically unrelated lineages, suggesting convergent evolution or differential gene regulation of a common metabolic pathway. Our study has shown that phylogenetic analysis of traditionally used psychoactive plants

  7. Nonbinary Tree-Based Phylogenetic Networks

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jetten, L.; van Iersel, L.J.J.

    2018-01-01

    Rooted phylogenetic networks are used to describe evolutionary histories that contain non-treelike evolutionary events such as hybridization and horizontal gene transfer. In some cases, such histories can be described by a phylogenetic base-tree with additional linking arcs, which can for example

  8. E coli enteritis

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... coli; Food poisoning - E. coli; E. coli diarrhea; Hamburger disease ... coleslaw or potato salad) that have been out of the refrigerator too ... reheated Fish or oysters Raw fruits or vegetables that have ...

  9. Exploring the determinants of phylogenetic diversity and assemblage structure in conifers across temporal, spatial, and taxonomic scales

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Eiserhardt, Wolf L.; Borchsenius, Finn; Sandel, Brody Steven

    -environmental models are important elements in this framework. Here, we integrate both types of data in order to explore the determinants of forest tree diversity using the conifers as a model group. Conifers are an old, diverse (ca. 650 spp. in 6 families) and widespread group of woody plants of high ecological...... and economic importance. They are better studied than most other globally distributed groups of forest trees, allowing integrative studies with high phylogenetic and spatial resolution. We analyse phylogenetic diversity, assemblage structure, and diversification rates for regional conifer assemblages...

  10. Ultrafast Approximation for Phylogenetic Bootstrap

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bui Quang Minh, [No Value; Nguyen, Thi; von Haeseler, Arndt

    Nonparametric bootstrap has been a widely used tool in phylogenetic analysis to assess the clade support of phylogenetic trees. However, with the rapidly growing amount of data, this task remains a computational bottleneck. Recently, approximation methods such as the RAxML rapid bootstrap (RBS) and

  11. CTX-M-producing Escherichia coli in a maternity ward: a likely community importation and evidence of mother-to-neonate transmission.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dubois, Véronique; De Barbeyrac, Bertille; Rogues, Anne-Marie; Arpin, Corinne; Coulange, Laure; Andre, Catherine; M'zali, Fatima; Megraud, Francis; Quentin, Claudine

    2010-07-01

    To investigate the high prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing strains of Escherichia coli (4%, 10/250 consecutive isolates) recovered during a 5 month period in the maternity ward of the University Hospital of Bordeaux, France. beta-Lactam resistance transfer was analysed by conjugation and transformation. ESBLs were characterized by isoelectric focusing, PCR amplification and sequencing. The relatedness of the strains was examined by PFGE and phylogenetic group determination. Plasmids were characterized by incompatibility group and restriction analysis. Ten ESBL-producing E. coli were isolated from urinary or genital samples of eight mothers and from gastric fluids of two newborns of carrier mothers. The patients were hospitalized in five different units of the maternity ward. Transconjugants, obtained for 7 of the 10 strains, and wild-type strains exhibited various antibiotypes. Different CTX-M enzymes were characterized: CTX-M-1 (n = 4); CTX-M-14 (n = 3); CTX-M-32 (n = 2); and CTX-M-28 (n = 1). The strains recovered from two mothers and their respective babies were identical. All the other strains were epidemiologically unrelated. Furthermore, various plasmids were identified. Environmental samples from the common echographic and sampling rooms did not reveal the presence of ESBL-producing enterobacteria. The data argue against the occurrence of a nosocomial outbreak and support the hypothesis of an importation of community-acquired ESBL-producing strains into the hospital through colonized/infected patients. At present, not only patients transferred from other hospitals or long-term care facilities are at risk of carrying ESBL-producing enterobacteria on hospital admission, but also community patients.

  12. Different relationships between temporal phylogenetic turnover and phylogenetic similarity and in two forests were detected by a new null model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Jian-Xiong; Zhang, Jian; Shen, Yong; Lian, Ju-yu; Cao, Hong-lin; Ye, Wan-hui; Wu, Lin-fang; Bin, Yue

    2014-01-01

    Ecologists have been monitoring community dynamics with the purpose of understanding the rates and causes of community change. However, there is a lack of monitoring of community dynamics from the perspective of phylogeny. We attempted to understand temporal phylogenetic turnover in a 50 ha tropical forest (Barro Colorado Island, BCI) and a 20 ha subtropical forest (Dinghushan in southern China, DHS). To obtain temporal phylogenetic turnover under random conditions, two null models were used. The first shuffled names of species that are widely used in community phylogenetic analyses. The second simulated demographic processes with careful consideration on the variation in dispersal ability among species and the variations in mortality both among species and among size classes. With the two models, we tested the relationships between temporal phylogenetic turnover and phylogenetic similarity at different spatial scales in the two forests. Results were more consistent with previous findings using the second null model suggesting that the second null model is more appropriate for our purposes. With the second null model, a significantly positive relationship was detected between phylogenetic turnover and phylogenetic similarity in BCI at a 10 m×10 m scale, potentially indicating phylogenetic density dependence. This relationship in DHS was significantly negative at three of five spatial scales. This could indicate abiotic filtering processes for community assembly. Using variation partitioning, we found phylogenetic similarity contributed to variation in temporal phylogenetic turnover in the DHS plot but not in BCI plot. The mechanisms for community assembly in BCI and DHS vary from phylogenetic perspective. Only the second null model detected this difference indicating the importance of choosing a proper null model.

  13. Escherichia coli Probiotic Strain ED1a in Pigs Has a Limited Impact on the Gut Carriage of Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-Producing E. coli

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mourand, G.; Paboeuf, F.; Fleury, M. A.; Jouy, E.; Bougeard, S.; Denamur, E.

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Four trials were conducted to evaluate the impact of Escherichia coli probiotic strain ED1a administration to pigs on the gut carriage or survival in manure of extended-spectrum-β-lactamase-producing E. coli. Groups of pigs were orally inoculated with strain E. coli M63 carrying the blaCTX-M-1 gene (n = 84) or used as a control (n = 26). In the first two trials, 24 of 40 E. coli M63-inoculated pigs were given E. coli ED1a orally for 6 days starting 8 days after oral inoculation. In the third trial, 10 E. coli M63-inoculated pigs were given either E. coli ED1a or probiotic E. coli Nissle 1917 for 5 days. In the fourth trial, E. coli ED1a was given to a sow and its 12 piglets, and these 12 piglets plus 12 piglets that had not received E. coli ED1a were then inoculated with E. coli M63. Fecal shedding of cefotaxime-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CTX-RE) was studied by culture, and blaCTX-M-1 genes were quantified by PCR. The persistence of CTX-RE in manure samples from inoculated pigs or manure samples inoculated in vitro with E. coli M63 with or without probiotics was studied. The results showed that E. coli M63 and ED1a were good gut colonizers. The reduction in the level of fecal excretion of CTX-RE in E. coli ED1a-treated pigs compared to that in nontreated pigs was usually less than 1 log10 CFU and was mainly observed during the probiotic administration period. The results obtained with E. coli Nissle 1917 did not differ significantly from those obtained with E. coli ED1a. CTX-RE survival did not differ significantly in manure samples with or without probiotic treatment. In conclusion, under our experimental conditions, E. coli ED1a and E. coli Nissle 1917 could not durably prevent CTX-RE colonization of the pig gut. PMID:27795372

  14. Escherichia coli Probiotic Strain ED1a in Pigs Has a Limited Impact on the Gut Carriage of Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-Producing E. coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mourand, G; Paboeuf, F; Fleury, M A; Jouy, E; Bougeard, S; Denamur, E; Kempf, I

    2017-01-01

    Four trials were conducted to evaluate the impact of Escherichia coli probiotic strain ED1a administration to pigs on the gut carriage or survival in manure of extended-spectrum-β-lactamase-producing E. coli Groups of pigs were orally inoculated with strain E. coli M63 carrying the bla CTX-M-1 gene (n = 84) or used as a control (n = 26). In the first two trials, 24 of 40 E. coli M63-inoculated pigs were given E. coli ED1a orally for 6 days starting 8 days after oral inoculation. In the third trial, 10 E. coli M63-inoculated pigs were given either E. coli ED1a or probiotic E. coli Nissle 1917 for 5 days. In the fourth trial, E. coli ED1a was given to a sow and its 12 piglets, and these 12 piglets plus 12 piglets that had not received E. coli ED1a were then inoculated with E. coli M63. Fecal shedding of cefotaxime-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CTX-RE) was studied by culture, and bla CTX-M-1 genes were quantified by PCR. The persistence of CTX-RE in manure samples from inoculated pigs or manure samples inoculated in vitro with E. coli M63 with or without probiotics was studied. The results showed that E. coli M63 and ED1a were good gut colonizers. The reduction in the level of fecal excretion of CTX-RE in E. coli ED1a-treated pigs compared to that in nontreated pigs was usually less than 1 log 10 CFU and was mainly observed during the probiotic administration period. The results obtained with E. coli Nissle 1917 did not differ significantly from those obtained with E. coli ED1a. CTX-RE survival did not differ significantly in manure samples with or without probiotic treatment. In conclusion, under our experimental conditions, E. coli ED1a and E. coli Nissle 1917 could not durably prevent CTX-RE colonization of the pig gut. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Microbiology.

  15. Data for constructing insect genome content matrices for phylogenetic analysis and functional annotation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeffrey Rosenfeld

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Twenty one fully sequenced and well annotated insect genomes were used to construct genome content matrices for phylogenetic analysis and functional annotation of insect genomes. To examine the role of e-value cutoff in ortholog determination we used scaled e-value cutoffs and a single linkage clustering approach.. The present communication includes (1 a list of the genomes used to construct the genome content phylogenetic matrices, (2 a nexus file with the data matrices used in phylogenetic analysis, (3 a nexus file with the Newick trees generated by phylogenetic analysis, (4 an excel file listing the Core (CORE genes and Unique (UNI genes found in five insect groups, and (5 a figure showing a plot of consistency index (CI versus percent of unannotated genes that are apomorphies in the data set for gene losses and gains and bar plots of gains and losses for four consistency index (CI cutoffs.

  16. Evolutionary history determines how plant productivity responds to phylogenetic diversity and species richness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark A. Genung

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function has received a great deal of attention in ecological research and recent results, from re-analyses, suggest that ecosystem function improves with increases in phylogenetic diversity. However, many of these results have been generalized across a range of different species and clades, and plants with different evolutionary histories could display different relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem function. To experimentally test this hypothesis, we manipulated species richness and phylogenetic diversity using 26 species from two subgenera of the genus Eucalyptus (subgenus Eucalyptus and subgenus Symphyomyrtus. We found that plant biomass (a measurement of ecosystem function sometimes, but not always, responded to increases in species richness and phylogenetic diversity. Specifically, Symphyomyrtus plants showed a positive response while no comparable effect was observed for Eucalyptus plants, showing that responses to biodiversity can vary across different phylogenetic groups. Our results show that the impacts of evolutionary history may complicate the relationship between the diversity of plant communities and plant biomass.

  17. Phylogenetic and Diversity Analysis of Dactylis glomerata Subspecies Using SSR and IT-ISJ Markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Defei; Zhao, Xinxin; Cheng, Yajuan; Ma, Xiao; Huang, Linkai; Zhang, Xinquan

    2016-10-31

    The genus Dactylis , an important forage crop, has a wide geographical distribution in temperate regions. While this genus is thought to include a single species, Dactylis glomerata , this species encompasses many subspecies whose relationships have not been fully characterized. In this study, the genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships of nine representative Dactylis subspecies were examined using SSR and IT-ISJ markers. In total, 21 pairs of SSR primers and 15 pairs of IT-ISJ primers were used to amplify 295 polymorphic bands with polymorphic rates of 100%. The average polymorphic information contents (PICs) of SSR and IT-ISJ markers were 0.909 and 0.780, respectively. The combined data of the two markers indicated a high level of genetic diversity among the nine D. glomerata subspecies, with a Nei's gene diversity index value of 0.283 and Shannon's diversity of 0.448. Preliminarily phylogenetic analysis results revealed that the 20 accessions could be divided into three groups (A, B, C). Furthermore, they could be divided into five clusters, which is similar to the structure analysis with K = 5. Phylogenetic placement in these three groups may be related to the distribution ranges and the climate types of the subspecies in each group. Group A contained eight accessions of four subspecies, originating from the west Mediterranean, while Group B contained seven accessions of three subspecies, originating from the east Mediterranean.

  18. Phylogenetic structure in tropical hummingbird communities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Graham, Catherine H; Parra, Juan L; Rahbek, Carsten

    2009-01-01

    How biotic interactions, current and historical environment, and biogeographic barriers determine community structure is a fundamental question in ecology and evolution, especially in diverse tropical regions. To evaluate patterns of local and regional diversity, we quantified the phylogenetic...... composition of 189 hummingbird communities in Ecuador. We assessed how species and phylogenetic composition changed along environmental gradients and across biogeographic barriers. We show that humid, low-elevation communities are phylogenetically overdispersed (coexistence of distant relatives), a pattern...... that is consistent with the idea that competition influences the local composition of hummingbirds. At higher elevations communities are phylogenetically clustered (coexistence of close relatives), consistent with the expectation of environmental filtering, which may result from the challenge of sustaining...

  19. Constructing phylogenetic trees using interacting pathways.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wan, Peng; Che, Dongsheng

    2013-01-01

    Phylogenetic trees are used to represent evolutionary relationships among biological species or organisms. The construction of phylogenetic trees is based on the similarities or differences of their physical or genetic features. Traditional approaches of constructing phylogenetic trees mainly focus on physical features. The recent advancement of high-throughput technologies has led to accumulation of huge amounts of biological data, which in turn changed the way of biological studies in various aspects. In this paper, we report our approach of building phylogenetic trees using the information of interacting pathways. We have applied hierarchical clustering on two domains of organisms-eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Our preliminary results have shown the effectiveness of using the interacting pathways in revealing evolutionary relationships.

  20. Inferring Phylogenetic Networks Using PhyloNet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wen, Dingqiao; Yu, Yun; Zhu, Jiafan; Nakhleh, Luay

    2018-07-01

    PhyloNet was released in 2008 as a software package for representing and analyzing phylogenetic networks. At the time of its release, the main functionalities in PhyloNet consisted of measures for comparing network topologies and a single heuristic for reconciling gene trees with a species tree. Since then, PhyloNet has grown significantly. The software package now includes a wide array of methods for inferring phylogenetic networks from data sets of unlinked loci while accounting for both reticulation (e.g., hybridization) and incomplete lineage sorting. In particular, PhyloNet now allows for maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference of phylogenetic networks from gene tree estimates. Furthermore, Bayesian inference directly from sequence data (sequence alignments or biallelic markers) is implemented. Maximum parsimony is based on an extension of the "minimizing deep coalescences" criterion to phylogenetic networks, whereas maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference are based on the multispecies network coalescent. All methods allow for multiple individuals per species. As computing the likelihood of a phylogenetic network is computationally hard, PhyloNet allows for evaluation and inference of networks using a pseudolikelihood measure. PhyloNet summarizes the results of the various analyzes and generates phylogenetic networks in the extended Newick format that is readily viewable by existing visualization software.

  1. Phylogenetic analysis of hepatitis B virus in pakistan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baig, S.; Hasnain, N.U.

    2008-01-01

    To identify the distribution pattern of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) genotype in a group of patients and to study its phylogenetic divergence. Two hundred and one HBV infected patients were genotyped for this study. All HbsAg positive individuals, either healthy carriers or suffering from conditions such as acute or chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma were included. Hepatitis B patients co-infected with other hepatic viruses were excluded. Hepatitis B virus DNA was extracted from serum, and subjected to a nested PCR, using the primers type-specific for genotype detection. Phylogenetic analysis was performed in the pre-S1 through S genes of HBV. The divergence was studied through 15 sequences of 967bp submitted to the DBJ/EMBL/GenBank databases accessible under accession number EF584640 through EF584654. Out of 201 patients tested, 156 were males and 45 were females. Genotype D was the predominant type found in 128 (64%) patients followed by A in 47 (23%) and mixed A/D in 26 (13%). Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the dominance of genotype D and subtype ayw2. There was dominance of genotype D subtype ayw2. It had a close resemblance with HBV strains that circulate in Iran, India and Japan. (author)

  2. Evaluation of the efficacy of an autogenous Escherichia coli vaccine in broiler breeders

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Li, Lili; Thøfner, Ida; Christensen, Jens Peter

    2017-01-01

    vaccine in broiler breeders. Three groups of 28 weeks old broiler breeders (unvaccinated, vaccinated once and twice, respectively) were challenged with a homologous E. coli strain (same strain as included in the vaccine) or a heterologous challenge strain in an experimental ascending model. The clinical...... infection, significant protection of an autogenous E. coli vaccine against neither a homologous nor a heterologous E. coli challenge could not be documented.......In poultry production Escherichia coli autogenous vaccines are often used. However, the efficacy of autogenous E. coli vaccinations has not been evaluated experimentally in chickens after start of lay. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the protective effect of an autogenous E. coli...

  3. The space of ultrametric phylogenetic trees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gavryushkin, Alex; Drummond, Alexei J

    2016-08-21

    The reliability of a phylogenetic inference method from genomic sequence data is ensured by its statistical consistency. Bayesian inference methods produce a sample of phylogenetic trees from the posterior distribution given sequence data. Hence the question of statistical consistency of such methods is equivalent to the consistency of the summary of the sample. More generally, statistical consistency is ensured by the tree space used to analyse the sample. In this paper, we consider two standard parameterisations of phylogenetic time-trees used in evolutionary models: inter-coalescent interval lengths and absolute times of divergence events. For each of these parameterisations we introduce a natural metric space on ultrametric phylogenetic trees. We compare the introduced spaces with existing models of tree space and formulate several formal requirements that a metric space on phylogenetic trees must possess in order to be a satisfactory space for statistical analysis, and justify them. We show that only a few known constructions of the space of phylogenetic trees satisfy these requirements. However, our results suggest that these basic requirements are not enough to distinguish between the two metric spaces we introduce and that the choice between metric spaces requires additional properties to be considered. Particularly, that the summary tree minimising the square distance to the trees from the sample might be different for different parameterisations. This suggests that further fundamental insight is needed into the problem of statistical consistency of phylogenetic inference methods. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  4. Formation of Escherichia coli Hfr strains by integrative suppression with the P group plasmid RP1.

    OpenAIRE

    Martin, R R; Thorlton, C L; Unger, L

    1981-01-01

    Hfr strains of Escherichia coli were obtained by integrative suppression of a dnaA(Ts) mutation by the Inc P-1 plasmid RP1 without prior creation of an unnatural homology between the plasmid and the E. coli chromosome. Unmodified RP1 mobilized the polarized transfer of the chromosome in a counterclock-wise direction from a distinct origin between 81 min (pyrE) and 82 min (dnaA) with pyrE as a leading marker. Inheritance of RP1-Hfr chromosomal and antibiotic resistance genes was due to recombi...

  5. Phylogenetic analysis of Attalea (Arecaceae): insights on the historical biogeography of a recently diversified Neotropical plant group

    Science.gov (United States)

    Technical Abstract Here we present a dated phylogenetic tree of the neotropical palm genus Attalea (Arecaceae). We used six orthologs from the nuclear WRKY gene family across 98 accessions to address relationships among species and biogeographic hypotheses. Here we found that the formerly recognized...

  6. Suitability of cuticular pores and sensilla for harpacticoid copepod species delineation and phylogenetic reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karanovic, Tomislav; Kim, Kichoon

    2014-11-01

    Cuticular organs have not been described systematically in harpacticoids until recently, and they haven ever been used as characters for reconstructing phylogenetic relationships in any crustacean group. We survey cuticular pores and sensilla on somites in ten Miraciidae species, belonging to six genera, from Korea, Australia, and Russia. Nine species belong to the subfamily Stenheliinae, while the outgroup belongs to the subfamily Diosaccinae. We aim to compare phylogenetic trees reconstructed for these harpactioids based on: 1) cuticular organs (with 76 characters scored, 71% of them phylogenetically informative); 2) traditionally used macro-morphological characters (66 scored, 77% of them informative);and 3) mtCOI DNA data. All analyses suggest that cuticular organs are useful characters for harpacticoid species delineation, although not as sensitive as some fast-evolving molecular markers. Reconstructed cladograms based on all three datasets show very high bootstrap values for clades representing distinct genera, suggesting that cuticular organs are suitable characters for studying phylogenetic relationships. Bootstrap values for the more basal nodes differ among the different cladograms,as do the sister-group relationships they suggest, indicating that cuticular organs probably have different evolutionary constraints from macro-morphological characters. Cuticular organs could be quite useful in the study of old museum specimens and fossil crustaceans.

  7. Genes and proteins of Escherichia coli K-12.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riley, M

    1998-01-01

    GenProtEC is a database of Escherichia coli genes and their gene products, classified by type of function and physiological role and with citations to the literature for each. Also present are data on sequence similarities among E.coli proteins, representing groups of paralogous genes, with PAM values, percent identity of amino acids, length of alignment and percent aligned. GenProtEC can be accessed at the URL http://www.mbl.edu/html/ecoli.html

  8. Anuran trypanosomes: phylogenetic evidence for new clades in Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    da S Ferreira, Juliana I G; da Costa, Andrea P; Ramirez, Diego; Roldan, Jairo A M; Saraiva, Danilo; da S Founier, Gislene F R; Sue, Ana; Zambelli, Erick R; Minervino, Antonio H H; Verdade, Vanessa K; Gennari, Solange M; Marcili, Arlei

    2015-05-01

    Trypanosomes of anurans and fish are grouped into the Aquatic Clade which includes species isolated from fish, amphibians, turtles and platypus, usually transmitted by leeches and phlebotomine sand flies. Trypanosomes from Brazilian frogs are grouped within the Aquatic Clade with other anuran trypanosome species, where there seems to be coevolutionary patterns with vertebrate hosts and association to Brazilian biomes (Atlantic Forest, Pantanal and Amazonia Rainforest). We characterised the anuran trypanosomes from two different areas of the Cerrado biome and examined their phylogenetic relationships based on the SSU rRNA gene. A total of 112 anurans of six species was analysed and trypanosome prevalence evaluated through haemoculture was found to be 7% (8 positive frogs). However, only three isolates (2.7%) from two anuran species were recovered and cryopreserved. Analysis including SSU rDNA sequences from previous studies segregated the anuran trypanosomes into six groups, the previously reported An01 to An04, and An05 and An06 reported herein. Clade An05 comprises the isolates from Leptodactylus latrans (Steffen) and Pristimantis sp. captured in the Cerrado biome and Trypanosoma chattoni Mathis & Leger, 1911. The inclusion of new isolates in the phylogenetic analyses provided evidence for a new group (An06) of parasites from phlebotomine hosts. Our results indicate that the diversity of trypanosome species is underestimated since studies conducted in Brazil and other regions of the world are still few.

  9. Bryozoans are returning home: recolonization of freshwater ecosystems inferred from phylogenetic relationships.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koletić, Nikola; Novosel, Maja; Rajević, Nives; Franjević, Damjan

    2015-01-01

    Bryozoans are aquatic invertebrates that inhabit all types of aquatic ecosystems. They are small animals that form large colonies by asexual budding. Colonies can reach the size of several tens of centimeters, while individual units within a colony are the size of a few millimeters. Each individual within a colony works as a separate zooid and is genetically identical to each other individual within the same colony. Most freshwater species of bryozoans belong to the Phylactolaemata class, while several species that tolerate brackish water belong to the Gymnolaemata class. Tissue samples for this study were collected in the rivers of Adriatic and Danube basin and in the wetland areas in the continental part of Croatia (Europe). Freshwater and brackish taxons of bryozoans were genetically analyzed for the purpose of creating phylogenetic relationships between freshwater and brackish taxons of the Phylactolaemata and Gymnolaemata classes and determining the role of brackish species in colonizing freshwater and marine ecosystems. Phylogenetic relationships inferred on the genes for 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, COI, and ITS2 region confirmed Phylactolaemata bryozoans as radix bryozoan group. Phylogenetic analysis proved Phylactolaemata bryozoan's close relations with taxons from Phoronida phylum as well as the separation of the Lophopodidae family from other families within the Plumatellida genus. Comparative analysis of existing knowledge about the phylogeny of bryozoans and the expansion of known evolutionary hypotheses is proposed with the model of settlement of marine and freshwater ecosystems by the bryozoans group during their evolutionary past. In this case study, brackish bryozoan taxons represent a link for this ecological phylogenetic hypothesis. Comparison of brackish bryozoan species Lophopus crystallinus and Conopeum seurati confirmed a dual colonization of freshwater ecosystems throughout evolution of this group of animals.

  10. Niche conservatism and phylogenetic clustering in a tribe of arid-adapted marsupial mice, the Sminthopsini.

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-Navas, Vicente; Westerman, Michael

    2018-05-28

    The progressive expansion of the Australian arid zone during the last 20 Ma appears to have spurred the diversification of several families of plants, vertebrates and invertebrates, yet such taxonomic groups appear to show limited niche radiation. Here, we test whether speciation is associated with niche conservatism (constraints on ecological divergence) or niche divergence in a tribe of marsupial mice (Sminthopsini; 23 taxa) that includes the most speciose genus of living dasyurids, the sminthopsins. To that end, we integrated phylogenetic data with ecological niche modelling, to enable us to reconstruct the evolution of climatic suitability within Sminthopsini. Niche overlap among species was low-moderate (but generally higher than expected given environmental background similarity), and the degree of phylogenetic clustering increased with aridity. Climatic niche reconstruction illustrates that there has been little apparent evolution of climatic tolerance within clades. Accordingly, climatic disparity tends to be accumulated among clades, suggesting considerable niche conservatism. Our results also indicate that evolution of climatic tolerances has been heterogeneous across different dimensions of climate (temperature vs. precipitation) and across phylogenetic clusters (Sminthopsis murina group vs. other groups). Although some results point to the existence of shifts in climatic niches during the speciation of sminthopsins, our study provides evidence for substantial phylogenetic niche conservatism in the group. We conclude that niche diversification had a low impact on the speciation of this tribe of small, but highly mobile marsupials. © 2018 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2018 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

  11. phangorn: phylogenetic analysis in R.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schliep, Klaus Peter

    2011-02-15

    phangorn is a package for phylogenetic reconstruction and analysis in the R language. Previously it was only possible to estimate phylogenetic trees with distance methods in R. phangorn, now offers the possibility of reconstructing phylogenies with distance based methods, maximum parsimony or maximum likelihood (ML) and performing Hadamard conjugation. Extending the general ML framework, this package provides the possibility of estimating mixture and partition models. Furthermore, phangorn offers several functions for comparing trees, phylogenetic models or splits, simulating character data and performing congruence analyses. phangorn can be obtained through the CRAN homepage http://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/phangorn/index.html. phangorn is licensed under GPL 2.

  12. Non-Escherichia coli versus Escherichia coli community-acquired urinary tract infections in children hospitalized in a tertiary center: relative frequency, risk factors, antimicrobial resistance and outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marcus, Nir; Ashkenazi, Shai; Yaari, Arnon; Samra, Zmira; Livni, Gilat

    2005-07-01

    Currently hospitalization for children with urinary tract infections (UTIs) is reserved for severe or complicated cases. Changes may have taken place in the characteristics and causative uropathogens of hospital-treated community-acquired UTI. To study children hospitalized in a tertiary center with community-acquired UTI, compare Escherichia coli and non-E. coli UTI, define predictors for non-E. coli UTI and elucidate the appropriate therapeutic approach. A prospective clinical and laboratory study from 2001 through 2002 in a tertiary pediatric medical center. Patients were divided by results of the urine culture into E. coli and non-E. coli UTI groups, which were compared. Of 175 episodes of culture-proved UTI, 70 (40%) were caused by non-E. coli pathogens. Non-E. coli UTI was more commonly found in children who were male (P = 0.005), who had underlying renal abnormalities (P = 0.0085) and who had received antibiotic therapy in the prior month (P = 0.0009). Non-E. coli uropathogens were often resistant to antibiotics usually recommended for initial therapy for UTI, including cephalosporins and aminoglycosides; 19% were initially treated with inappropriate empiric intravenous antibiotics (compared with 2% for E. coli UTI, P = 0.0001), with a longer hospitalization. Current treatment routines are often inappropriate for hospitalized children with non-E. coli UTI, which is relatively common in this population. The defined risk factors associated with non-E. coli UTIs and its antimicrobial resistance patterns should be considered to improve empiric antibiotic therapy for these infections.

  13. Undergraduate Students’ Initial Ability in Understanding Phylogenetic Tree

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sa'adah, S.; Hidayat, T.; Sudargo, Fransisca

    2017-04-01

    The Phylogenetic tree is a visual representation depicts a hypothesis about the evolutionary relationship among taxa. Evolutionary experts use this representation to evaluate the evidence for evolution. The phylogenetic tree is currently growing for many disciplines in biology. Consequently, learning about the phylogenetic tree has become an important part of biological education and an interesting area of biology education research. Skill to understanding and reasoning of the phylogenetic tree, (called tree thinking) is an important skill for biology students. However, research showed many students have difficulty in interpreting, constructing, and comparing among the phylogenetic tree, as well as experiencing a misconception in the understanding of the phylogenetic tree. Students are often not taught how to reason about evolutionary relationship depicted in the diagram. Students are also not provided with information about the underlying theory and process of phylogenetic. This study aims to investigate the initial ability of undergraduate students in understanding and reasoning of the phylogenetic tree. The research method is the descriptive method. Students are given multiple choice questions and an essay that representative by tree thinking elements. Each correct answer made percentages. Each student is also given questionnaires. The results showed that the undergraduate students’ initial ability in understanding and reasoning phylogenetic tree is low. Many students are not able to answer questions about the phylogenetic tree. Only 19 % undergraduate student who answered correctly on indicator evaluate the evolutionary relationship among taxa, 25% undergraduate student who answered correctly on indicator applying concepts of the clade, 17% undergraduate student who answered correctly on indicator determines the character evolution, and only a few undergraduate student who can construct the phylogenetic tree.

  14. Phylogenetic tree based on complete genomes using fractal and correlation analyses without sequence alignment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zu-Guo Yu

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available The complete genomes of living organisms have provided much information on their phylogenetic relationships. Similarly, the complete genomes of chloroplasts have helped resolve the evolution of this organelle in photosynthetic eukaryotes. In this review, we describe two algorithms to construct phylogenetic trees based on the theories of fractals and dynamic language using complete genomes. These algorithms were developed by our research group in the past few years. Our distance-based phylogenetic tree of 109 prokaryotes and eukaryotes agrees with the biologists' "tree of life" based on the 16S-like rRNA genes in a majority of basic branchings and most lower taxa. Our phylogenetic analysis also shows that the chloroplast genomes are separated into two major clades corresponding to chlorophytes s.l. and rhodophytes s.l. The interrelationships among the chloroplasts are largely in agreement with the current understanding on chloroplast evolution.

  15. Improved Maximum Parsimony Models for Phylogenetic Networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Iersel, Leo; Jones, Mark; Scornavacca, Celine

    2018-05-01

    Phylogenetic networks are well suited to represent evolutionary histories comprising reticulate evolution. Several methods aiming at reconstructing explicit phylogenetic networks have been developed in the last two decades. In this article, we propose a new definition of maximum parsimony for phylogenetic networks that permits to model biological scenarios that cannot be modeled by the definitions currently present in the literature (namely, the "hardwired" and "softwired" parsimony). Building on this new definition, we provide several algorithmic results that lay the foundations for new parsimony-based methods for phylogenetic network reconstruction.

  16. Impact of human-associated Escherichia coli clonal groups in Antarctic pinnipeds: presence of ST73, ST95, ST141 and ST131.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mora, Azucena; García-Peña, Francisco Javier; Alonso, María Pilar; Pedraza-Diaz, Susana; Ortega-Mora, Luis Miguel; Garcia-Parraga, Daniel; López, Cecilia; Viso, Susana; Dahbi, Ghizlane; Marzoa, Juan; Sergeant, Martin J; García, Vanesa; Blanco, Jorge

    2018-03-16

    There is growing concern about the spreading of human microorganisms in relatively untouched ecosystems such as the Antarctic region. For this reason, three pinniped species (Leptonychotes weddellii, Mirounga leonina and Arctocephalus gazella) from the west coast of the Antartic Peninsula were analysed for the presence of Escherichia spp. with the recovery of 158 E. coli and three E. albertii isolates. From those, 23 harboured different eae variants (α1, β1, β2, ε1, θ1, κ, ο), including a bfpA-positive isolate (O49:H10-A-ST206, eae-k) classified as typical enteropathogenic E. coli. Noteworthy, 62 of the 158 E. coli isolates (39.2%) exhibited the ExPEC status and 27 (17.1%) belonged to sequence types (ST) frequently occurring among urinary/bacteremia ExPEC clones: ST12, ST73, ST95, ST131 and ST141. We found similarities >85% within the PFGE-macrorrestriction profiles of pinniped and human clinic O2:H6-B2-ST141 and O16:H5/O25b:H4-B2-ST131 isolates. The in silico analysis of ST131 Cplx genomes from the three pinnipeds (five O25:H4-ST131/PST43-fimH22-virotype D; one O16:H5-ST131/PST506-fimH41; one O25:H4-ST6252/PST9-fimH22-virotype D1) identified IncF and IncI1 plasmids and revealed high core-genome similarities between pinniped and human isolates (H22 and H41 subclones). This is the first study to demonstrate the worrisome presence of human-associated E. coli clonal groups, including ST131, in Antarctic pinnipeds.

  17. Phylogenetic analyses provide insights into the historical biogeography and evolution of Brachyrhaphis fishes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ingley, Spencer J; Reina, Ruth G; Bermingham, Eldredge; Johnson, Jerald B

    2015-08-01

    The livebearing fish genus Brachyrhaphis (Poeciliidae) has become an increasingly important model in evolution and ecology research, yet the phylogeny of this group is not well understood, nor has it been examined thoroughly using modern phylogenetic methods. Here, we present the first comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of Brachyrhaphis by using four molecular markers (3mtDNA, 1nucDNA) to infer relationships among species in this genus. We tested the validity of this genus as a monophyletic group using extensive outgroup sampling based on recent phylogenetic hypotheses of Poeciliidae. We also tested the validity of recently described species of Brachyrhaphis that are part of the B. episcopi complex in Panama. Finally, we examined the impact of historical events on diversification of Brachyrhaphis, and made predictions regarding the role of different ecological environments on evolutionary diversification where known historical events apparently fail to explain speciation. Based on our results, we reject the monophyly of Brachyrhaphis, and question the validity of two recently described species (B. hessfeldi and B. roswithae). Historical biogeography of Brachyrhaphis generally agrees with patterns found in other freshwater taxa in Lower Central America, which show that geological barriers frequently predict speciation. Specifically, we find evidence in support of an 'island' model of Lower Central American formation, which posits that the nascent isthmus was partitioned by several marine connections before linking North and South America. In some cases where historic events (e.g., vicariance) fail to explain allopatric species breaks in Brachyrhaphis, ecological processes (e.g., divergent predation environments) offer additional insight into our understanding of phylogenetic diversification in this group. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Bayesian nonparametric clustering in phylogenetics: modeling antigenic evolution in influenza.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cybis, Gabriela B; Sinsheimer, Janet S; Bedford, Trevor; Rambaut, Andrew; Lemey, Philippe; Suchard, Marc A

    2018-01-30

    Influenza is responsible for up to 500,000 deaths every year, and antigenic variability represents much of its epidemiological burden. To visualize antigenic differences across many viral strains, antigenic cartography methods use multidimensional scaling on binding assay data to map influenza antigenicity onto a low-dimensional space. Analysis of such assay data ideally leads to natural clustering of influenza strains of similar antigenicity that correlate with sequence evolution. To understand the dynamics of these antigenic groups, we present a framework that jointly models genetic and antigenic evolution by combining multidimensional scaling of binding assay data, Bayesian phylogenetic machinery and nonparametric clustering methods. We propose a phylogenetic Chinese restaurant process that extends the current process to incorporate the phylogenetic dependency structure between strains in the modeling of antigenic clusters. With this method, we are able to use the genetic information to better understand the evolution of antigenicity throughout epidemics, as shown in applications of this model to H1N1 influenza. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  19. Frequent use of colistin-based drug treatment to eliminate extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli in backyard chicken farms in Thai Binh Province, Vietnam.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakayama, Tatsuya; Jinnai, Michio; Kawahara, Ryuji; Diep, Khong Thi; Thang, Nguyen Nam; Hoa, Tran Thi; Hanh, Le Kieu; Khai, Pham Ngoc; Sumimura, Yoshinori; Yamamoto, Yoshimasa

    2017-01-01

    Reports of livestock infections with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-E) are increasing. Based on interviews conducted over a 6-month period, we found that veterinarians in the Vietnamese province of Thai Binh prefer to prescribe colistin-based drugs (CBD) in chicken farms. We aimed to clarify whether CBD use selects for strains of colistin-resistant ESBL-E. With the cooperation of seven local households, we detected ESBL-E in chickens' feces after treating chickens with CBD. Phylogenetic groupings and the presence of CTX-M/AmpC genes were determined, and the multi-antibiotic susceptibility of isolates was analyzed. Our results showed that ESBL-E presented in seven chickens' feces from two households. Seventy-two percent of ESBL-E isolates harbored CTX-M9 and the phylogenetic group A; the colistin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of all isolated ESBL-E ranged from 0.064 to 1 μg mL -1 . Moreover, ESBL-E isolates were used to experimentally select for colistin resistance, and the effect of commercial CBD on ESBL-E was investigated. The results showed that an ESBL-E strain with a colistin MIC of 4 μg mL -1 was able to grow in media with CBD. Although CBD treatment was effective, in vitro experiments demonstrated that ESBL-E can easily acquire colistin resistance. Therefore, restrictions on colistin use are necessary to prevent the emergence of colistin-resistant bacteria.

  20. Reconstruction of phylogenetic relationships in a highly reticulate group with deep coalescence and recent speciation (Hieracium, Asteraceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krak, K; Caklová, P; Chrtek, J; Fehrer, J

    2013-02-01

    Phylogeny reconstruction based on multiple unlinked markers is often hampered by incongruent gene trees, especially in closely related species complexes with high degrees of hybridization and polyploidy. To investigate the particular strengths and limitations of chloroplast DNA (cpDNA), low-copy nuclear and multicopy nuclear markers for elucidating the evolutionary history of such groups, we focus on Hieracium s.str., a predominantly apomictic genus combining the above-mentioned features. Sequences of the trnV-ndhC and trnT-trnL intergenic spacers were combined for phylogenetic analyses of cpDNA. Part of the highly variable gene for squalene synthase (sqs) was applied as a low-copy nuclear marker. Both gene trees were compared with previous results based on the multicopy external transcribed spacer (ETS) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA. The power of the different markers to detect hybridization varied, but they largely agreed on particular hybrid and allopolyploid origins. The same crown groups of species were recognizable in each dataset, but basal relationships were strongly incongruent among cpDNA, sqs and ETS trees. The ETS tree was considered as the best approximation of the species tree. Both cpDNA and sqs trees showed basal polytomies as well as merging or splitting of species groups of non-hybrid taxa. These patterns can be best explained by a rapid diversification of the genus with ancestral polymorphism and incomplete lineage sorting. A hypothetical scenario of Hieracium speciation based on all available (including non-molecular) evidence is depicted. Incorporation of seemingly contradictory information helped to better understand species origins and evolutionary patterns in this notoriously difficult agamic complex.

  1. E. Coli Infections

    Science.gov (United States)

    E. coli is the name of a type of bacteria that lives in your intestines. Most types of E. coli are harmless. However, some types can make you ... type causes travelers' diarrhea. The worst type of E. coli causes bloody diarrhea, and can sometimes cause kidney ...

  2. A Consistent Phylogenetic Backbone for the Fungi

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebersberger, Ingo; de Matos Simoes, Ricardo; Kupczok, Anne; Gube, Matthias; Kothe, Erika; Voigt, Kerstin; von Haeseler, Arndt

    2012-01-01

    The kingdom of fungi provides model organisms for biotechnology, cell biology, genetics, and life sciences in general. Only when their phylogenetic relationships are stably resolved, can individual results from fungal research be integrated into a holistic picture of biology. However, and despite recent progress, many deep relationships within the fungi remain unclear. Here, we present the first phylogenomic study of an entire eukaryotic kingdom that uses a consistency criterion to strengthen phylogenetic conclusions. We reason that branches (splits) recovered with independent data and different tree reconstruction methods are likely to reflect true evolutionary relationships. Two complementary phylogenomic data sets based on 99 fungal genomes and 109 fungal expressed sequence tag (EST) sets analyzed with four different tree reconstruction methods shed light from different angles on the fungal tree of life. Eleven additional data sets address specifically the phylogenetic position of Blastocladiomycota, Ustilaginomycotina, and Dothideomycetes, respectively. The combined evidence from the resulting trees supports the deep-level stability of the fungal groups toward a comprehensive natural system of the fungi. In addition, our analysis reveals methodologically interesting aspects. Enrichment for EST encoded data—a common practice in phylogenomic analyses—introduces a strong bias toward slowly evolving and functionally correlated genes. Consequently, the generalization of phylogenomic data sets as collections of randomly selected genes cannot be taken for granted. A thorough characterization of the data to assess possible influences on the tree reconstruction should therefore become a standard in phylogenomic analyses. PMID:22114356

  3. A program for verification of phylogenetic network models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gunawan, Andreas D M; Lu, Bingxin; Zhang, Louxin

    2016-09-01

    Genetic material is transferred in a non-reproductive manner across species more frequently than commonly thought, particularly in the bacteria kingdom. On one hand, extant genomes are thus more properly considered as a fusion product of both reproductive and non-reproductive genetic transfers. This has motivated researchers to adopt phylogenetic networks to study genome evolution. On the other hand, a gene's evolution is usually tree-like and has been studied for over half a century. Accordingly, the relationships between phylogenetic trees and networks are the basis for the reconstruction and verification of phylogenetic networks. One important problem in verifying a network model is determining whether or not certain existing phylogenetic trees are displayed in a phylogenetic network. This problem is formally called the tree containment problem. It is NP-complete even for binary phylogenetic networks. We design an exponential time but efficient method for determining whether or not a phylogenetic tree is displayed in an arbitrary phylogenetic network. It is developed on the basis of the so-called reticulation-visible property of phylogenetic networks. A C-program is available for download on http://www.math.nus.edu.sg/∼matzlx/tcp_package matzlx@nus.edu.sg Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  4. Epidemiological factors associated with ESBL- and non ESBL-producing E. coli causing urinary tract infection in general practice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hertz, Frederik Boetius; Schønning, Kristian; Rasmussen, Steen Christian

    2016-01-01

    were prospectively collected and retrospective statistical analyses were done. This study included 98 cases with urinary tract infection (UTI) caused by ESBL-producing E. coli, 174 with antibiotic-resistant (non-ESBL) E. coli, 177 with susceptible E. coli and 200 with culture negative urine samples....... Case groups had significantly higher use of antibiotics than the control group within 30 days before infection (p UTI by ESBL......-producing E. coli. Exposure to antibiotics was a risk factor for UTI with E. coli, while prior antibiotic usage was not an indisputable predictor for infection with ESBL-producing E.coli in general practice....

  5. Cloning and identification of Group 1 mrp operon encoding a novel monovalent cation/proton antiporter system from the moderate halophile Halomonas zhaodongensis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meng, Lin; Hong, Shan; Liu, Henan; Huang, Haipeng; Sun, Hao; Xu, Tong; Jiang, Juquan

    2014-11-01

    The novel species Halomonas zhaodongensis NEAU-ST10-25(T) recently identified by our group is a moderate halophile which can grow at the range of 0-2.5 M NaCl (optimum 0.5 M) and pH 6-12 (optimum pH 9). To explore its halo-alkaline tolerant mechanism, genomic DNA was screened from NEAU-ST10-25(T) in this study for Na(+)(Li(+))/H(+) antiporter genes by selection in Escherichia coli KNabc lacking three major Na(+)(Li(+))/H(+) antiporters. One mrp operon could confer tolerance of E. coli KNabc to 0.8 M NaCl and 100 mM LiCl, and an alkaline pH. This operon was previously mainly designated mrp (also mnh, pha or sha) due to its multiple resistance and pH-related activity. Here, we will also use mrp to designate the homolog from H. zhaodongensis (Hz_mrp). Sequence analysis and protein alignment showed that Hz_mrp should belong to Group 1 mrp operons. Further phylogenetic analysis reveals that Hz_Mrp system should represent a novel sub-class of Group 1 Mrp systems. This was confirmed by a significant difference in pH-dependent activity profile or the specificity and affinity for the transported monovalent cations between Hz_Mrp system and all the known Mrp systems. Therefore, we propose that Hz_Mrp should be categorized as a novel Group 1 Mrp system.

  6. Phylogenetic perspectives on the evolution of functional hermaphroditism in teleost fishes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erisman, Brad E; Petersen, Christopher W; Hastings, Philip A; Warner, Robert R

    2013-10-01

    Hermaphroditism is taxonomically widespread among teleost fishes and takes on many forms including simultaneous, protogynous, and protandrous hermaphroditism, bidirectional sex change, and androdioecy. The proximate mechanisms that influence the timing, incidence, and forms of hermaphroditism in fishes are supported by numerous theoretical and empirical studies on their mating systems and sexual patterns, but few have examined aspects of sex-allocation theory or the evolution of hermaphroditism for this group within a strict phylogenetic context. Fortunately, species-level phylogenetic reconstructions of the evolutionary history of many lineages of fishes have emerged, providing opportunities for understanding fine-scale evolutionary pathways and transformations of sex allocation. Examinations of several families of fishes with adequate data on phylogeny, patterns of sex allocation, mating systems, and with some form of hermaphroditism reveal that the evolution and expression of protogyny and other forms of sex allocation show little evidence of phylogenetic inertia within specific lineages but rather are associated with particular mating systems in accordance with prevalent theories about sex allocation. Transformations from protogyny to gonochorism in groupers (Epinephelidae), seabasses (Serranidae), and wrasses and parrotfishes (Labridae) are associated with equivalent transformations in the structure of mating groups from spawning of pairs to group spawning and related increases in sperm competition. Similarly, patterns of protandry, androdioecy, simultaneous hermaphroditism, and bidirectional sex change in other lineages (Aulopiformes, Gobiidae, and Pomacentridae) match well with particular mating systems in accordance with sex-allocation theory. Unlike other animals and plants, we did not find evidence that transitions between hermaphroditism and gonochorism required functional intermediates. Two instances in which our general conclusions might not hold

  7. E. Coli

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... for the bacteria's medical name Escherichia coli . The strange thing about these bacteria — and lots of other ... In some cases, E. coli poisoning can cause life-threatening kidney problems. What Can Kids Do? Adults ...

  8. Incidence of blaNDM-1 gene in Escherichia coli isolates at a tertiary care referral hospital in Northeast India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A Bora

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Increasing reports on New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1 (NDM-1 producing Escherichia coli constitute a serious threat to global health since it is found to be highly resistant to most of the currently available antibiotics including carbapenems. This study has been performed to find out the incidence blaNDM-1 in E. coli isolates recovered from the various clinical samples at a tertiary care referral hospital in Northeast India. Materials and Methods: A total of 270 non-duplicated E. coli isolates were recovered from the various clinical samples at a tertiary care referral hospital in Northeast India. All isolates with reduced susceptibility to meropenem or ertapenem (diameter of zones of inhibition, ≤21 mm were further phenotypically confirmed for carbapenemase production by modified Hodge test. All screened isolates were also subjected to the polymerase chain reaction detection of blaNDM-1 gene and additional bla genes coding for transmission electron microscopy, SHV, CTX-M, and AmpC. Results: Out of 270 E. coli isolates, 14 were screened for carbapenemase production on the basis of their reduced susceptibility to meropenem or ertapenem. All screened isolates were found to be positive for blaNDM-1 . Each of the blaNDM-1 possessing isolate was also positive for two or more additional bla genes, such as blaTEM , blaCTX-M and blaAmpC . Phylogenetic analysis showed very less variation in blaNDM-1 gene with respect to blaNDM-1 possessing E. coli isolates from other parts of India and abroad. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the incidence of blaNDM-1 in E. coli isolates with a reduced susceptibility to meropenem or ertapenem.

  9. Changes in Enterococcal and E coli populations and related antibiotic resistance from medical center to receiving environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petit, F.; Berthe, T.; Oberle, K.; Denamur, E.; Clermont, O.; Leclercq, R.; Cattoir, V.; Budzinski, H.

    2013-12-01

    The spread of antibiotic-resistant faecal bacteria and their corresponding genes in water environment, as a result of the overuse of antibiotics, have become an ecological and a public problem. The aim of this multidisciplinary research program (FLASH) -associating chemists, hydrologists, clinical and environmental microbiologists- was to determine to what extent the hospital effluent have an ecological impact on the downstream aquatic environment. For this purpose, fate of Escherichia coli (distribution of phylogenetic groups, antibiotic resistance, integrons- 342 strains) and Enterococci (diversity, antibiotic resistance, genes ermB, mefA, clonal complex 17- 235 strains ) was analyzed in water and sediments along a medical center - WWTP - river - estuary continuum, during a high epidemiologic period in the North west of France. A multi-residue chemical methodology was developed in order to detect low levels of 34 antibiotics in water. To link occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in water and antibiotic prescription, we use the data collection from the hospital and the antibiotics sales information. In the medical center, the main prescribed antibiotic (amoxicillin) was weakly found in effluents. Along the continuum, contamination of water by antibiotics decreased from 160μg.L-1 (cefotaxim) in hospital effluents to 1ng.L-1 (ofloxacin) in the river. These concentrations were too low to exert a selective pressure (mg.L-1) on antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In same samples, occurrences of antibiotic-resistant E. coli and those harboring a class 1 integrons decreased significantly (p-value E. coli isolates, multiresistant to antibiotic, was observed in water microcosm experiment (E. coli and the corresponding antibiotic-resistance genes are submitted to the particle dynamics and are deposited on mudflats. Among Enterococcus populations, E. faecium was mainly isolated (from 89% to 98%). All E. faecium isolates from medical center effluents were multiply

  10. Shedding of cephalosporin resistant Escherichia coli in pigs from conventional farms after early treatment with antimicrobials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cameron-Veas, Karla; Moreno, Miguel A; Fraile, Lorenzo; Migura-Garcia, Lourdes

    2016-05-01

    This study assessed the dynamics of cephalosporin resistant (CR) E. coli populations during the life cycle of pigs treated early in life with ceftiofur or tulathromycin. The study was conducted at eight conventional pig farms; four for each treatment with ceftiofur or tulathromycin. At each farm, 70 7-day-old piglets were divided into two groups: a control group (n = 30) and a treatment group (n = 40). Faecal samples were collected on day 0 and on days 2, 7 and 180 post-treatment. Sows were also sampled on day 0. CR E. coli were selected on MacConkey agar with ceftriaxone. On five farms, 7-day-old piglets excreted CR E. coli before treatment associated with the presence of CR E. coli in sows. The occurrence of CR E. coli positive animals decreased with increasing piglet age. The remaining three farms tested negative for CR E. coli during the study period. Results demonstrated great variability in the frequency of CR E. coli positive animals between farms, independent of treatment. Treatment with ceftiofur resulted in a transitory increase in the counts of CR E. coli after 48 h. However, other risk factors including the presence of CR E. coli in sows and animal age were more important than antimicrobial treatment. Accordingly, intervention strategies targeting sows would likely have a beneficial effect in reducing the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance in primary pig production. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Prokaryotic caspase homologs: phylogenetic patterns and functional characteristics reveal considerable diversity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Johannes Asplund-Samuelsson

    Full Text Available Caspases accomplish initiation and execution of apoptosis, a programmed cell death process specific to metazoans. The existence of prokaryotic caspase homologs, termed metacaspases, has been known for slightly more than a decade. Despite their potential connection to the evolution of programmed cell death in eukaryotes, the phylogenetic distribution and functions of these prokaryotic metacaspase sequences are largely uncharted, while a few experiments imply involvement in programmed cell death. Aiming at providing a more detailed picture of prokaryotic caspase homologs, we applied a computational approach based on Hidden Markov Model search profiles to identify and functionally characterize putative metacaspases in bacterial and archaeal genomes. Out of the total of 1463 analyzed genomes, merely 267 (18% were identified to contain putative metacaspases, but their taxonomic distribution included most prokaryotic phyla and a few archaea (Euryarchaeota. Metacaspases were particularly abundant in Alphaproteobacteria, Deltaproteobacteria and Cyanobacteria, which harbor many morphologically and developmentally complex organisms, and a distinct correlation was found between abundance and phenotypic complexity in Cyanobacteria. Notably, Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli, known to undergo genetically regulated autolysis, lacked metacaspases. Pfam domain architecture analysis combined with operon identification revealed rich and varied configurations among the metacaspase sequences. These imply roles in programmed cell death, but also e.g. in signaling, various enzymatic activities and protein modification. Together our data show a wide and scattered distribution of caspase homologs in prokaryotes with structurally and functionally diverse sub-groups, and with a potentially intriguing evolutionary role. These features will help delineate future characterizations of death pathways in prokaryotes.

  12. Rearrangement moves on rooted phylogenetic networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gambette, Philippe; van Iersel, Leo; Jones, Mark; Lafond, Manuel; Pardi, Fabio; Scornavacca, Celine

    2017-08-01

    Phylogenetic tree reconstruction is usually done by local search heuristics that explore the space of the possible tree topologies via simple rearrangements of their structure. Tree rearrangement heuristics have been used in combination with practically all optimization criteria in use, from maximum likelihood and parsimony to distance-based principles, and in a Bayesian context. Their basic components are rearrangement moves that specify all possible ways of generating alternative phylogenies from a given one, and whose fundamental property is to be able to transform, by repeated application, any phylogeny into any other phylogeny. Despite their long tradition in tree-based phylogenetics, very little research has gone into studying similar rearrangement operations for phylogenetic network-that is, phylogenies explicitly representing scenarios that include reticulate events such as hybridization, horizontal gene transfer, population admixture, and recombination. To fill this gap, we propose "horizontal" moves that ensure that every network of a certain complexity can be reached from any other network of the same complexity, and "vertical" moves that ensure reachability between networks of different complexities. When applied to phylogenetic trees, our horizontal moves-named rNNI and rSPR-reduce to the best-known moves on rooted phylogenetic trees, nearest-neighbor interchange and rooted subtree pruning and regrafting. Besides a number of reachability results-separating the contributions of horizontal and vertical moves-we prove that rNNI moves are local versions of rSPR moves, and provide bounds on the sizes of the rNNI neighborhoods. The paper focuses on the most biologically meaningful versions of phylogenetic networks, where edges are oriented and reticulation events clearly identified. Moreover, our rearrangement moves are robust to the fact that networks with higher complexity usually allow a better fit with the data. Our goal is to provide a solid basis for

  13. Rearrangement moves on rooted phylogenetic networks.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Philippe Gambette

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Phylogenetic tree reconstruction is usually done by local search heuristics that explore the space of the possible tree topologies via simple rearrangements of their structure. Tree rearrangement heuristics have been used in combination with practically all optimization criteria in use, from maximum likelihood and parsimony to distance-based principles, and in a Bayesian context. Their basic components are rearrangement moves that specify all possible ways of generating alternative phylogenies from a given one, and whose fundamental property is to be able to transform, by repeated application, any phylogeny into any other phylogeny. Despite their long tradition in tree-based phylogenetics, very little research has gone into studying similar rearrangement operations for phylogenetic network-that is, phylogenies explicitly representing scenarios that include reticulate events such as hybridization, horizontal gene transfer, population admixture, and recombination. To fill this gap, we propose "horizontal" moves that ensure that every network of a certain complexity can be reached from any other network of the same complexity, and "vertical" moves that ensure reachability between networks of different complexities. When applied to phylogenetic trees, our horizontal moves-named rNNI and rSPR-reduce to the best-known moves on rooted phylogenetic trees, nearest-neighbor interchange and rooted subtree pruning and regrafting. Besides a number of reachability results-separating the contributions of horizontal and vertical moves-we prove that rNNI moves are local versions of rSPR moves, and provide bounds on the sizes of the rNNI neighborhoods. The paper focuses on the most biologically meaningful versions of phylogenetic networks, where edges are oriented and reticulation events clearly identified. Moreover, our rearrangement moves are robust to the fact that networks with higher complexity usually allow a better fit with the data. Our goal is to provide

  14. SICLE: a high-throughput tool for extracting evolutionary relationships from phylogenetic trees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeBlasio, Dan F; Wisecaver, Jennifer H

    2016-01-01

    We present the phylogeny analysis software SICLE (Sister Clade Extractor), an easy-to-use, high-throughput tool to describe the nearest neighbors to a node of interest in a phylogenetic tree as well as the support value for the relationship. The application is a command line utility that can be embedded into a phylogenetic analysis pipeline or can be used as a subroutine within another C++ program. As a test case, we applied this new tool to the published phylome of Salinibacter ruber, a species of halophilic Bacteriodetes, identifying 13 unique sister relationships to S. ruber across the 4,589 gene phylogenies. S. ruber grouped with bacteria, most often other Bacteriodetes, in the majority of phylogenies, but 91 phylogenies showed a branch-supported sister association between S. ruber and Archaea, an evolutionarily intriguing relationship indicative of horizontal gene transfer. This test case demonstrates how SICLE makes it possible to summarize the phylogenetic information produced by automated phylogenetic pipelines to rapidly identify and quantify the possible evolutionary relationships that merit further investigation. SICLE is available for free for noncommercial use at http://eebweb.arizona.edu/sicle/.

  15. SICLE: a high-throughput tool for extracting evolutionary relationships from phylogenetic trees

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dan F. DeBlasio

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available We present the phylogeny analysis software SICLE (Sister Clade Extractor, an easy-to-use, high-throughput tool to describe the nearest neighbors to a node of interest in a phylogenetic tree as well as the support value for the relationship. The application is a command line utility that can be embedded into a phylogenetic analysis pipeline or can be used as a subroutine within another C++ program. As a test case, we applied this new tool to the published phylome of Salinibacter ruber, a species of halophilic Bacteriodetes, identifying 13 unique sister relationships to S. ruber across the 4,589 gene phylogenies. S. ruber grouped with bacteria, most often other Bacteriodetes, in the majority of phylogenies, but 91 phylogenies showed a branch-supported sister association between S. ruber and Archaea, an evolutionarily intriguing relationship indicative of horizontal gene transfer. This test case demonstrates how SICLE makes it possible to summarize the phylogenetic information produced by automated phylogenetic pipelines to rapidly identify and quantify the possible evolutionary relationships that merit further investigation. SICLE is available for free for noncommercial use at http://eebweb.arizona.edu/sicle/.

  16. Phylogenetic tests of distribution patterns in South Asia: towards

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    The last four decades have seen an increasing integration of phylogenetics and biogeography. However, a dearth of phylogenetic studies has precluded such biogeographic analyses in South Asia until recently. Noting the increase in phylogenetic research and interest in phylogenetic biogeography in the region, we ...

  17. The Mobilome; A Major Contributor to Escherichia coli stx2-Positive O26:H11 Strains Intra-Serotype Diversity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabine Delannoy

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli of serotype O26:H11/H- constitute a diverse group of strains and several clones with distinct genetic characteristics have been identified and characterized. Whole genome sequencing was performed using Illumina and PacBio technologies on eight stx2-positive O26:H11 strains circulating in France. Comparative analyses of the whole genome of the stx2-positive O26:H11 strains indicate that several clones of EHEC O26:H11 are co-circulating in France. Phylogenetic analysis of the French strains together with stx2-positive and stx-negative E. coli O26:H11 genomes obtained from Genbank indicates the existence of four clonal complexes (SNP-CCs separated in two distinct lineages, one of which comprises the “new French clone” (SNP-CC1 that appears genetically closely related to stx-negative attaching and effacing E. coli (AEEC strains. Interestingly, the whole genome SNP (wgSNP phylogeny is summarized in the cas gene phylogeny, and a simple qPCR assay targeting the CRISPR array specific to SNP-CC1 (SP_O26-E can distinguish between the two main lineages. The PacBio sequencing allowed a detailed analysis of the mobile genetic elements (MGEs of the strains. Numerous MGEs were identified in each strain, including a large number of prophages and up to four large plasmids, representing overall 8.7–19.8% of the total genome size. Analysis of the prophage pool of the strains shows a considerable diversity with a complex history of recombination. Each clonal complex (SNP-CC is characterized by a unique set of plasmids and phages, including stx-prophages, suggesting evolution through separate acquisition events. Overall, the MGEs appear to play a major role in O26:H11 intra-serotype clonal diversification.

  18. The Mobilome; A Major Contributor to Escherichia coli stx2-Positive O26:H11 Strains Intra-Serotype Diversity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delannoy, Sabine; Mariani-Kurkdjian, Patricia; Webb, Hattie E; Bonacorsi, Stephane; Fach, Patrick

    2017-01-01

    Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli of serotype O26:H11/H- constitute a diverse group of strains and several clones with distinct genetic characteristics have been identified and characterized. Whole genome sequencing was performed using Illumina and PacBio technologies on eight stx2 -positive O26:H11 strains circulating in France. Comparative analyses of the whole genome of the stx2 -positive O26:H11 strains indicate that several clones of EHEC O26:H11 are co-circulating in France. Phylogenetic analysis of the French strains together with stx2 -positive and stx -negative E. coli O26:H11 genomes obtained from Genbank indicates the existence of four clonal complexes (SNP-CCs) separated in two distinct lineages, one of which comprises the "new French clone" (SNP-CC1) that appears genetically closely related to stx -negative attaching and effacing E. coli (AEEC) strains. Interestingly, the whole genome SNP (wgSNP) phylogeny is summarized in the cas gene phylogeny, and a simple qPCR assay targeting the CRISPR array specific to SNP-CC1 (SP_O26-E) can distinguish between the two main lineages. The PacBio sequencing allowed a detailed analysis of the mobile genetic elements (MGEs) of the strains. Numerous MGEs were identified in each strain, including a large number of prophages and up to four large plasmids, representing overall 8.7-19.8% of the total genome size. Analysis of the prophage pool of the strains shows a considerable diversity with a complex history of recombination. Each clonal complex (SNP-CC) is characterized by a unique set of plasmids and phages, including stx -prophages, suggesting evolution through separate acquisition events. Overall, the MGEs appear to play a major role in O26:H11 intra-serotype clonal diversification.

  19. Phylogenetic search through partial tree mixing

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Background Recent advances in sequencing technology have created large data sets upon which phylogenetic inference can be performed. Current research is limited by the prohibitive time necessary to perform tree search on a reasonable number of individuals. This research develops new phylogenetic algorithms that can operate on tens of thousands of species in a reasonable amount of time through several innovative search techniques. Results When compared to popular phylogenetic search algorithms, better trees are found much more quickly for large data sets. These algorithms are incorporated in the PSODA application available at http://dna.cs.byu.edu/psoda Conclusions The use of Partial Tree Mixing in a partition based tree space allows the algorithm to quickly converge on near optimal tree regions. These regions can then be searched in a methodical way to determine the overall optimal phylogenetic solution. PMID:23320449

  20. Conservation threats and the phylogenetic utility of IUCN Red List rankings in Incilius toads.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schachat, Sandra R; Mulcahy, Daniel G; Mendelson, Joseph R

    2016-02-01

    Phylogenetic analysis of extinction threat is an emerging tool in the field of conservation. However, there are problems with the methods and data as commonly used. Phylogenetic sampling usually extends to the level of family or genus, but International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) rankings are available only for individual species, and, although different species within a taxonomic group may have the same IUCN rank, the species may have been ranked as such for different reasons. Therefore, IUCN rank may not reflect evolutionary history and thus may not be appropriate for use in a phylogenetic context. To be used appropriately, threat-risk data should reflect the cause of extinction threat rather than the IUCN threat ranking. In a case study of the toad genus Incilius, with phylogenetic sampling at the species level (so that the resolution of the phylogeny matches character data from the IUCN Red List), we analyzed causes of decline and IUCN threat rankings by calculating metrics of phylogenetic signal (such as Fritz and Purvis' D). We also analyzed the extent to which cause of decline and threat ranking overlap by calculating phylogenetic correlation between these 2 types of character data. Incilius species varied greatly in both threat ranking and cause of decline; this variability would be lost at a coarser taxonomic resolution. We found far more phylogenetic signal, likely correlated with evolutionary history, for causes of decline than for IUCN threat ranking. Individual causes of decline and IUCN threat rankings were largely uncorrelated on the phylogeny. Our results demonstrate the importance of character selection and taxonomic resolution when extinction threat is analyzed in a phylogenetic context. © 2015 Society for Conservation Biology.

  1. Comparing Phylogenetic Trees by Matching Nodes Using the Transfer Distance Between Partitions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bogdanowicz, Damian; Giaro, Krzysztof

    2017-05-01

    Ability to quantify dissimilarity of different phylogenetic trees describing the relationship between the same group of taxa is required in various types of phylogenetic studies. For example, such metrics are used to assess the quality of phylogeny construction methods, to define optimization criteria in supertree building algorithms, or to find horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events. Among the set of metrics described so far in the literature, the most commonly used seems to be the Robinson-Foulds distance. In this article, we define a new metric for rooted trees-the Matching Pair (MP) distance. The MP metric uses the concept of the minimum-weight perfect matching in a complete bipartite graph constructed from partitions of all pairs of leaves of the compared phylogenetic trees. We analyze the properties of the MP metric and present computational experiments showing its potential applicability in tasks related to finding the HGT events.

  2. Phylogenetic Signal in AFLP Data Sets

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Koopman, W.J.M.

    2005-01-01

    AFLP markers provide a potential source of phylogenetic information for molecular systematic studies. However, there are properties of restriction fragment data that limit phylogenetic interpretation of AFLPs. These are (a) possible nonindependence of fragments, (b) problems of homology assignment

  3. Synthesis of avenanthramides using engineered Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Su Jin; Sim, Geun Young; Kang, Hyunook; Yeo, Won Seok; Kim, Bong-Gyu; Ahn, Joong-Hoon

    2018-03-22

    Hydroxycinnamoyl anthranilates, also known as avenanthramides (avns), are a group of phenolic alkaloids with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-itch, anti-irritant, and antiatherogenic activities. Some avenanthramides (avn A-H and avn K) are conjugates of hydroxycinnamic acids (HC), including p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, and ferulic acid, and anthranilate derivatives, including anthranilate, 4-hydroxyanthranilate, and 5-hydroxyanthranilate. Avns are primarily found in oat grain, in which they were originally designated as phytoalexins. Knowledge of the avns biosynthesis pathway has now made it possible to synthesize avns through a genetic engineering strategy, which would help to further elucidate their properties and exploit their beneficial biological activities. The aim of the present study was to synthesize natural avns in Escherichia coli to serve as a valuable resource. We synthesized nine avns in E. coli. We first synthesized avn D from glucose in E. coli harboring tyrosine ammonia lyase (TAL), 4-coumarate:coenzyme A ligase (4CL), anthranilate N-hydroxycinnamoyl/benzoyltransferase (HCBT), and anthranilate synthase (trpEG). A trpD deletion mutant was used to increase the amount of anthranilate in E. coli. After optimizing the incubation temperature and cell density, approximately 317.2 mg/L of avn D was synthesized. Avn E and avn F were then synthesized from avn D, using either E. coli harboring HpaBC and SOMT9 or E. coli harboring HapBC alone, respectively. Avn A and avn G were synthesized by feeding 5-hydroxyanthranilate or 4-hydroxyanthranilate to E. coli harboring TAL, 4CL, and HCBT. Avn B, avn C, avn H, and avn K were synthesized from avn A or avn G, using the same approach employed for the synthesis of avn E and avn F from avn D. Using different HCs, nine avns were synthesized, three of which (avn D, avn E, and avn F) were synthesized from glucose in E. coli. These diverse avns provide a strategy to synthesize both natural and unnatural avns

  4. How does cognition evolve? Phylogenetic comparative psychology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matthews, Luke J.; Hare, Brian A.; Nunn, Charles L.; Anderson, Rindy C.; Aureli, Filippo; Brannon, Elizabeth M.; Call, Josep; Drea, Christine M.; Emery, Nathan J.; Haun, Daniel B. M.; Herrmann, Esther; Jacobs, Lucia F.; Platt, Michael L.; Rosati, Alexandra G.; Sandel, Aaron A.; Schroepfer, Kara K.; Seed, Amanda M.; Tan, Jingzhi; van Schaik, Carel P.; Wobber, Victoria

    2014-01-01

    Now more than ever animal studies have the potential to test hypotheses regarding how cognition evolves. Comparative psychologists have developed new techniques to probe the cognitive mechanisms underlying animal behavior, and they have become increasingly skillful at adapting methodologies to test multiple species. Meanwhile, evolutionary biologists have generated quantitative approaches to investigate the phylogenetic distribution and function of phenotypic traits, including cognition. In particular, phylogenetic methods can quantitatively (1) test whether specific cognitive abilities are correlated with life history (e.g., lifespan), morphology (e.g., brain size), or socio-ecological variables (e.g., social system), (2) measure how strongly phylogenetic relatedness predicts the distribution of cognitive skills across species, and (3) estimate the ancestral state of a given cognitive trait using measures of cognitive performance from extant species. Phylogenetic methods can also be used to guide the selection of species comparisons that offer the strongest tests of a priori predictions of cognitive evolutionary hypotheses (i.e., phylogenetic targeting). Here, we explain how an integration of comparative psychology and evolutionary biology will answer a host of questions regarding the phylogenetic distribution and history of cognitive traits, as well as the evolutionary processes that drove their evolution. PMID:21927850

  5. How does cognition evolve? Phylogenetic comparative psychology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacLean, Evan L; Matthews, Luke J; Hare, Brian A; Nunn, Charles L; Anderson, Rindy C; Aureli, Filippo; Brannon, Elizabeth M; Call, Josep; Drea, Christine M; Emery, Nathan J; Haun, Daniel B M; Herrmann, Esther; Jacobs, Lucia F; Platt, Michael L; Rosati, Alexandra G; Sandel, Aaron A; Schroepfer, Kara K; Seed, Amanda M; Tan, Jingzhi; van Schaik, Carel P; Wobber, Victoria

    2012-03-01

    Now more than ever animal studies have the potential to test hypotheses regarding how cognition evolves. Comparative psychologists have developed new techniques to probe the cognitive mechanisms underlying animal behavior, and they have become increasingly skillful at adapting methodologies to test multiple species. Meanwhile, evolutionary biologists have generated quantitative approaches to investigate the phylogenetic distribution and function of phenotypic traits, including cognition. In particular, phylogenetic methods can quantitatively (1) test whether specific cognitive abilities are correlated with life history (e.g., lifespan), morphology (e.g., brain size), or socio-ecological variables (e.g., social system), (2) measure how strongly phylogenetic relatedness predicts the distribution of cognitive skills across species, and (3) estimate the ancestral state of a given cognitive trait using measures of cognitive performance from extant species. Phylogenetic methods can also be used to guide the selection of species comparisons that offer the strongest tests of a priori predictions of cognitive evolutionary hypotheses (i.e., phylogenetic targeting). Here, we explain how an integration of comparative psychology and evolutionary biology will answer a host of questions regarding the phylogenetic distribution and history of cognitive traits, as well as the evolutionary processes that drove their evolution.

  6. THE WIDESPREAD OCCURRENCE OF THE ENTEROHEMOLYSIN GENE EHLYA AMONG ENVIRONMENTAL STRAINS OF ESCHERICHIA COLI

    Science.gov (United States)

    The putative virulence factor enterohemolysin, encoded for by the ehlyA gene, has been closely associated with the pathogenic enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) group. E. coli isolates from effluents from seven geographically dispersed municipal ...

  7. Complete sequencing of five araliaceae chloroplast genomes and the phylogenetic implications.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rong Li

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The ginseng family (Araliaceae includes a number of economically important plant species. Previously phylogenetic studies circumscribed three major clades within the core ginseng plant family, yet the internal relationships of each major group have been poorly resolved perhaps due to rapid radiation of these lineages. Recent studies have shown that phyogenomics based on chloroplast genomes provides a viable way to resolve complex relationships. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We report the complete nucleotide sequences of five Araliaceae chloroplast genomes using next-generation sequencing technology. The five chloroplast genomes are 156,333-156,459 bp in length including a pair of inverted repeats (25,551-26,108 bp separated by the large single-copy (86,028-86,566 bp and small single-copy (18,021-19,117 bp regions. Each chloroplast genome contains the same 114 unique genes consisting of 30 transfer RNA genes, four ribosomal RNA genes, and 80 protein coding genes. Gene size, content, and order, AT content, and IR/SC boundary structure are similar among all Araliaceae chloroplast genomes. A total of 140 repeats were identified in the five chloroplast genomes with palindromic repeat as the most common type. Phylogenomic analyses using parsimony, likelihood, and Bayesian inference based on the complete chloroplast genomes strongly supported the monophyly of the Asian Palmate group and the Aralia-Panax group. Furthermore, the relationships among the sampled taxa within the Asian Palmate group were well resolved. Twenty-six DNA markers with the percentage of variable sites higher than 5% were identified, which may be useful for phylogenetic studies of Araliaceae. CONCLUSION: The chloroplast genomes of Araliaceae are highly conserved in all aspects of genome features. The large-scale phylogenomic data based on the complete chloroplast DNA sequences is shown to be effective for the phylogenetic reconstruction of Araliaceae.

  8. Plant DNA barcodes and assessment of phylogenetic community structure of a tropical mixed dipterocarp forest in Brunei Darussalam (Borneo)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abu Salim, Kamariah; Chase, Mark W.; Dexter, Kyle G.; Pennington, R. Toby; Tan, Sylvester; Kaye, Maria Ellen; Samuel, Rosabelle

    2017-01-01

    DNA barcoding is a fast and reliable tool to assess and monitor biodiversity and, via community phylogenetics, to investigate ecological and evolutionary processes that may be responsible for the community structure of forests. In this study, DNA barcodes for the two widely used plastid coding regions rbcL and matK are used to contribute to identification of morphologically undetermined individuals, as well as to investigate phylogenetic structure of tree communities in 70 subplots (10 × 10m) of a 25-ha forest-dynamics plot in Brunei (Borneo, Southeast Asia). The combined matrix (rbcL + matK) comprised 555 haplotypes (from ≥154 genera, 68 families and 25 orders sensu APG, Angiosperm Phylogeny Group, 2016), making a substantial contribution to tree barcode sequences from Southeast Asia. Barcode sequences were used to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships using maximum likelihood, both with and without constraining the topology of taxonomic orders to match that proposed by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group. A third phylogenetic tree was reconstructed using the program Phylomatic to investigate the influence of phylogenetic resolution on results. Detection of non-random patterns of community assembly was determined by net relatedness index (NRI) and nearest taxon index (NTI). In most cases, community assembly was either random or phylogenetically clustered, which likely indicates the importance to community structure of habitat filtering based on phylogenetically correlated traits in determining community structure. Different phylogenetic trees gave similar overall results, but the Phylomatic tree produced greater variation across plots for NRI and NTI values, presumably due to noise introduced by using an unresolved phylogenetic tree. Our results suggest that using a DNA barcode tree has benefits over the traditionally used Phylomatic approach by increasing precision and accuracy and allowing the incorporation of taxonomically unidentified individuals into analyses

  9. Plant DNA barcodes and assessment of phylogenetic community structure of a tropical mixed dipterocarp forest in Brunei Darussalam (Borneo.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jacqueline Heckenhauer

    Full Text Available DNA barcoding is a fast and reliable tool to assess and monitor biodiversity and, via community phylogenetics, to investigate ecological and evolutionary processes that may be responsible for the community structure of forests. In this study, DNA barcodes for the two widely used plastid coding regions rbcL and matK are used to contribute to identification of morphologically undetermined individuals, as well as to investigate phylogenetic structure of tree communities in 70 subplots (10 × 10m of a 25-ha forest-dynamics plot in Brunei (Borneo, Southeast Asia. The combined matrix (rbcL + matK comprised 555 haplotypes (from ≥154 genera, 68 families and 25 orders sensu APG, Angiosperm Phylogeny Group, 2016, making a substantial contribution to tree barcode sequences from Southeast Asia. Barcode sequences were used to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships using maximum likelihood, both with and without constraining the topology of taxonomic orders to match that proposed by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group. A third phylogenetic tree was reconstructed using the program Phylomatic to investigate the influence of phylogenetic resolution on results. Detection of non-random patterns of community assembly was determined by net relatedness index (NRI and nearest taxon index (NTI. In most cases, community assembly was either random or phylogenetically clustered, which likely indicates the importance to community structure of habitat filtering based on phylogenetically correlated traits in determining community structure. Different phylogenetic trees gave similar overall results, but the Phylomatic tree produced greater variation across plots for NRI and NTI values, presumably due to noise introduced by using an unresolved phylogenetic tree. Our results suggest that using a DNA barcode tree has benefits over the traditionally used Phylomatic approach by increasing precision and accuracy and allowing the incorporation of taxonomically unidentified individuals

  10. The emergence of lobsters: phylogenetic relationships, morphological evolution and divergence time comparisons of an ancient group (decapoda: achelata, astacidea, glypheidea, polychelida).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bracken-Grissom, Heather D; Ahyong, Shane T; Wilkinson, Richard D; Feldmann, Rodney M; Schweitzer, Carrie E; Breinholt, Jesse W; Bendall, Matthew; Palero, Ferran; Chan, Tin-Yam; Felder, Darryl L; Robles, Rafael; Chu, Ka-Hou; Tsang, Ling-Ming; Kim, Dohyup; Martin, Joel W; Crandall, Keith A

    2014-07-01

    Lobsters are a ubiquitous and economically important group of decapod crustaceans that include the infraorders Polychelida, Glypheidea, Astacidea and Achelata. They include familiar forms such as the spiny, slipper, clawed lobsters and crayfish and unfamiliar forms such as the deep-sea and "living fossil" species. The high degree of morphological diversity among these infraorders has led to a dynamic classification and conflicting hypotheses of evolutionary relationships. In this study, we estimated phylogenetic relationships among the major groups of all lobster families and 94% of the genera using six genes (mitochondrial and nuclear) and 195 morphological characters across 173 species of lobsters for the most comprehensive sampling to date. Lobsters were recovered as a non-monophyletic assemblage in the combined (molecular + morphology) analysis. All families were monophyletic, with the exception of Cambaridae, and 7 of 79 genera were recovered as poly- or paraphyletic. A rich fossil history coupled with dense taxon coverage allowed us to estimate and compare divergence times and origins of major lineages using two drastically different approaches. Age priors were constructed and/or included based on fossil age information or fossil discovery, age, and extant species count data. Results from the two approaches were largely congruent across deep to shallow taxonomic divergences across major lineages. The origin of the first lobster-like decapod (Polychelida) was estimated in the Devonian (∼409-372 Ma) with all infraorders present in the Carboniferous (∼353-318 Ma). Fossil calibration subsampling studies examined the influence of sampling density (number of fossils) and placement (deep, middle, and shallow) on divergence time estimates. Results from our study suggest including at least 1 fossil per 10 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in divergence dating analyses. [Dating; decapods; divergence; lobsters; molecular; morphology; phylogenetics.]. © The

  11. Chromosomal features of Escherichia coli serotype O2:K2, an avian pathogenic E. coli

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Steffen L; Kudirkiene, Egle; Li, Lili

    2017-01-01

    Escherichia coli causing infection outside the gastrointestinal system are referred to as extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli. Avian pathogenic E. coli is a subgroup of extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli and infections due to avian pathogenic E. coli have major impact on poultry production econo...

  12. EXTENDED SPECTRUM BETA-LACTAMASE PRODUCING E. COLI CONTAMINATION OF CHICKEN MEAT IN THE IRISH RETAIL MARKET

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dearbháile Morris

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Animals represent potential reservoirs for the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance. Twenty domestically produced chicken meat samples were collected from 19 retail outlets in Ireland, inoculated into Bolton broth and cultured on modified charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate (mCCDA and Preston agars. Selected representative coliforms included 16 E.coli and 4 Pseudomonas aeruginosa. All E.coli isolates were confirmed as ESBL producers, 15 isolates harbored a blaCTX-M group-1 gene, and none belonged to the E.coli 025b:H4-ST131 clonal group. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE analysis identified 13 distinct pulsed field profiles and comparison with more than 300 human clinical isolates of ESBL producing E. coli did not reveal any similarities. ESBL producing E. coli were detected on retail meats in the Irish market place. Although no similarity was apparent between poultry and human isolates this does not preclude a role for ESBL-producing E.coli in meat in dissemination of antimicrobial resistance.

  13. Evolutionary Dynamics of Small RNAs in 27 Escherichia coli and Shigella Genomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skippington, Elizabeth; Ragan, Mark A.

    2012-01-01

    Small RNAs (sRNAs) are widespread in bacteria and play critical roles in regulating physiological processes. They are best characterized in Escherichia coli K-12 MG1655, where 83 sRNAs constitute nearly 2% of the gene complement. Most sRNAs act by base pairing with a target mRNA, modulating its translation and/or stability; many of these RNAs share only limited complementarity to their mRNA target, and require the chaperone Hfq to facilitate base pairing. Little is known about the evolutionary dynamics of bacterial sRNAs. Here, we apply phylogenetic and network analyses to investigate the evolutionary processes and principles that govern sRNA gene distribution in 27 E. coli and Shigella genomes. We identify core (encoded in all 27 genomes) and variable sRNAs; more than two-thirds of the E. coli K-12 MG1655 sRNAs are core, whereas the others show patterns of presence and absence that are principally due to genetic loss, not duplication or lateral genetic transfer. We present evidence that variable sRNAs are less tightly integrated into cellular genetic regulatory networks than are the core sRNAs, and that Hfq facilitates posttranscriptional cross talk between the E. coli–Shigella core and variable genomes. Finally, we present evidence that more than 80% of genes targeted by Hfq-associated core sRNAs have been transferred within the E. coli–Shigella clade, and that most of these genes have been transferred intact. These results suggest that Hfq and sRNAs help integrate laterally acquired genes into established regulatory networks. PMID:22223756

  14. Phylogenetic diversity of ceftriaxone resistance and the presence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase genes in the culturable soil resistome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pagaling, Eulyn; Gatica, Joao; Yang, Kun; Cytryn, Eddie; Yan, Tao

    2016-09-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the phylogenetic diversity of ceftriaxone resistance and the presence of known extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) genes in culturable soil resistomes. Libraries of soil bacterial isolates resistant to ceftriaxone were established from six physicochemically diverse soils collected in Hawaii (USA) and Israel. The phylogenetic affiliation, ceftriaxone and multidrug resistance levels, and presence of known ESBL genes of the isolates were determined. The soil bacterial isolates were phylogenetically grouped with the Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. Ceftriaxone minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) largely followed the phylogeny structure and higher levels of ceftriaxone resistance corresponded to higher multidrug resistance. Three distinct blaTEM variants were detected in soil bacterial isolates belonging to nine different genera. In conclusion, the culturable soil resistomes for ceftriaxone exhibited high phylogenetic diversity and multidrug resistance. blaTEM was the only known ESBL detected in the soil resistomes, and its distribution in different phylogenetic groups suggests its ubiquitous presence and/or possible horizontal gene transfer within the soil microbiomes. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Chemotherapy of Infection and Cancer. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Computing the Skewness of the Phylogenetic Mean Pairwise Distance in Linear Time

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tsirogiannis, Constantinos; Sandel, Brody Steven

    2013-01-01

    to the average cost of all possible simple paths in T that connect pairs of nodes in R. Among other phylogenetic measures, the MPD is used as a tool for deciding if the species of a given group R are closely related. To do this, it is important to compute not only the value of the MPD for this group but also...

  16. Phylogenetic Origins of Brain Organisers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ellen Robertshaw

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The regionalisation of the nervous system begins early in embryogenesis, concomitant with the establishment of the anteroposterior (AP and dorsoventral (DV body axes. The molecular mechanisms that drive axis induction appear to be conserved throughout the animal kingdom and may be phylogenetically older than the emergence of bilateral symmetry. As a result of this process, groups of patterning genes that are equally well conserved are expressed at specific AP and DV coordinates of the embryo. In the emerging nervous system of vertebrate embryos, this initial pattern is refined by local signalling centres, secondary organisers, that regulate patterning, proliferation, and axonal pathfinding in adjacent neuroepithelium. The main secondary organisers for the AP neuraxis are the midbrain-hindbrain boundary, zona limitans intrathalamica, and anterior neural ridge and for the DV neuraxis the notochord, floor plate, and roof plate. A search for homologous secondary organisers in nonvertebrate lineages has led to controversy over their phylogenetic origins. Based on a recent study in hemichordates, it has been suggested that the AP secondary organisers evolved at the base of the deuterostome superphylum, earlier than previously thought. According to this view, the lack of signalling centres in some deuterostome lineages is likely to reflect a secondary loss due to adaptive processes. We propose that the relative evolutionary flexibility of secondary organisers has contributed to a broader morphological complexity of nervous systems in different clades.

  17. Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O22:H8 isolated from cattle reduces E. coli O157:H7 adherence in vitro and in vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martorelli, L; Albanese, A; Vilte, D; Cantet, R; Bentancor, A; Zolezzi, G; Chinen, I; Ibarra, C; Rivas, M; Mercado, E C; Cataldi, A

    2017-09-01

    Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are a group of bacteria responsible for food-associated diseases. Clinical features include a wide range of symptoms such as diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis and the hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening condition. Our group has observed that animals naturally colonized with STEC strains of unknown serotype were not efficiently colonized with E. coli O157:H7 after experimental infection. In order to assess the basis of the interference, three STEC strains were isolated from STEC persistently-colonized healthy cattle from a dairy farm in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The three isolated strains are E. coli O22:H8 and carry the stx1 and stx2d genes. The activatable activity of Stx2d was demonstrated in vitro. The three strains carry the adhesins iha, ehaA and lpf O113 . E. coli O22:H8 formed stronger biofilms in abiotic surface than E. coli O157:H7 (eae+, stx2+) and displayed a more adherent phenotype in vitro towards HeLa cells. Furthermore, when both serotypes were cultured together O22:H8 could reduce O157:H7 adherence in vitro. When calves were intragastrically pre-challenged with 10 8 CFU of a mixture of the three STEC strains and two days later challenged with the same dose of the strain E. coli O157:H7 438/99, the shedding of the pathogen was significantly reduced. These results suggest that E. coli O22:H8, a serotype rarely associated with human illness, might compete with O157:H7 at the bovine recto-anal junction, making non-O157 carrying-calves less susceptible to O157:H7 colonization and shedding of the bacteria to the environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Phylogenetic and recombination analysis of tomato spotted wilt virus.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sen Lian

    Full Text Available Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV severely damages and reduces the yield of many economically important plants worldwide. In this study, we determined the whole-genome sequences of 10 TSWV isolates recently identified from various regions and hosts in Korea. Phylogenetic analysis of these 10 isolates as well as the three previously sequenced isolates indicated that the 13 Korean TSWV isolates could be divided into two groups reflecting either two different origins or divergences of Korean TSWV isolates. In addition, the complete nucleotide sequences for the 13 Korean TSWV isolates along with previously sequenced TSWV RNA segments from Korea and other countries were subjected to phylogenetic and recombination analysis. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that both the RNA L and RNA M segments of most Korean isolates might have originated in Western Europe and North America but that the RNA S segments for all Korean isolates might have originated in China and Japan. Recombination analysis identified a total of 12 recombination events among all isolates and segments and five recombination events among the 13 Korea isolates; among the five recombinants from Korea, three contained the whole RNA L segment, suggesting reassortment rather than recombination. Our analyses provide evidence that both recombination and reassortment have contributed to the molecular diversity of TSWV.

  19. Nucleotide diversity and phylogenetic relationships among ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    NIRAJ SINGH

    for phylogenetic analysis of Gladiolus and related taxa using combined datasets from chloroplast genome. The psbA–trnH ... phylogenetic relationships among cultivars could be useful for hybridization programmes for further improvement of the crop. [Singh N. ... breeding in nature, and exhibited diverse pollination mech-.

  20. Free-Ranging Synanthropic Birds (Ardea alba and Columba livia domestica) as Carriers of Salmonella spp. and Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli in the Vicinity of an Urban Zoo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Oliveira, Mirela C V; Camargo, Beatriz Q; Cunha, Marcos P V; Saidenberg, Andre Becker; Teixeira, Rodrigo H F; Matajira, Carlos E C; Moreno, Luisa Z; Gomes, Vasco T M; Christ, Ana P G; Barbosa, Mikaela R F; Sato, Maria I Z; Moreno, Andrea M; Knöbl, Terezinha

    2018-01-01

    The presence of free-ranging urban birds is a risk factor for transmitting pathogens to captive animals and humans alike, including Salmonella spp. and diarrheagenic Escherichia coli. Cloacal swabs from 156 synanthropic Great egrets (Ardea alba) and feral pigeons (Columba livia domestica) that inhabit the surroundings of an urban zoo were processed for the identification of Salmonella spp. and diarrheagenic E. coli pathotypes. Bacterial species identification and genotypic characterization employed the matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry and PCR techniques, respectively, comparing their phylogenetic profiles through amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis. A total of 11 birds were positive for Salmonella Typhimurium (7%) and 9 individuals (5.8%) for diarrheagenic E. coli (enteropathogenic E. coli/Shiga-toxin producing E. coli [EPEC/STEC]) strains. S. Typhimurium strains presented highly similar AFLP profiles (85-100%), whereas EPEC/STEC strains showed more polymorphism. The results show free-ranging birds as carriers for both microorganisms in a zoo environment in Brazil for the first time and suggest these species as possible sources of infection to other animals as well as exposing personnel and visitors to potential zoonotic microorganisms. The presence of carriers highlights the importance of a surveillance system and the need for preventive measures to avoid attracting growing number of synanthropic avian species.

  1. Genomic landscape of extended-spectrum β-lactamase resistance in Escherichia coli from an urban African setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Musicha, Patrick; Feasey, Nicholas A; Cain, Amy K; Kallonen, Teemu; Chaguza, Chrispin; Peno, Chikondi; Khonga, Margaret; Thompson, Sarah; Gray, Katherine J; Mather, Alison E; Heyderman, Robert S; Everett, Dean B; Thomson, Nicholas R; Msefula, Chisomo L

    2017-06-01

    Efforts to treat Escherichia coli infections are increasingly being compromised by the rapid, global spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Whilst AMR in E. coli has been extensively investigated in resource-rich settings, in sub-Saharan Africa molecular patterns of AMR are not well described. In this study, we have begun to explore the population structure and molecular determinants of AMR amongst E. coli isolates from Malawi. Ninety-four E. coli isolates from patients admitted to Queen's Hospital, Malawi, were whole-genome sequenced. The isolates were selected on the basis of diversity of phenotypic resistance profiles and clinical source of isolation (blood, CSF and rectal swab). Sequence data were analysed using comparative genomics and phylogenetics. Our results revealed the presence of five clades, which were strongly associated with E. coli phylogroups A, B1, B2, D and F. We identified 43 multilocus STs, of which ST131 (14.9%) and ST12 (9.6%) were the most common. We identified 25 AMR genes. The most common ESBL gene was bla CTX-M-15 and it was present in all five phylogroups and 11 STs, and most commonly detected in ST391 (4/4 isolates), ST648 (3/3 isolates) and ST131 [3/14 (21.4%) isolates]. This study has revealed a high diversity of lineages associated with AMR, including ESBL and fluoroquinolone resistance, in Malawi. The data highlight the value of longitudinal bacteraemia surveillance coupled with detailed molecular epidemiology in all settings, including low-income settings, in describing the global epidemiology of ESBL resistance. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  2. Selective Deactivation of M13 Bacteriophage in E. Coli using Femtosecond Laser Pulses

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Molukanele, P

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Deactivation of M13 Bacteriophage in E. Coli using Femtosecond Laser Pulses P. Molukanele 1, 3, A. Du Plessis 1, T. Roberts 1, L. Botha 1, M. Khati 2,3, W. Campos 2, 3 1CSIR National Laser Centre, Femtosecond Science group, Pretoria, South Africa 2CSIR... that is about 1 ?m long and 5-6 nm in diameter. Its host Escherichia coli (E.coli), is approximately 2-6 ?m long and 1-1.5 ?m in diameter, see figure 1 below. Figure 1: Schematic representations of M13 bacteriophage and its host E.coli...

  3. Escherichia coli clearance after splenic autotransplants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marques, R.G.; Petroianu, A.; Oliveira, M.B.N.; Bernardo-Filho, M.; Portela, M.C.

    2002-01-01

    Background: Splenic autotransplantation seems to be the only alternative for preservation of splenic tissue, after total splenectomy. The present study was carried out to analyze Escherichia coli depuration by mononuclear phagocyte system organs after total splenectomy and splenic autotransplantation. Methods: We utilized an experimental model including young and adult Wistar rats, of both sexes, submitted to total splenectomy and splenic autotransplantation. The evaluation method was intravenous inoculation of a suspension of Escherichia coli labeled with technetium-99m. We analyzed bacteria uptake by mononuclear phagocyte system organs and bacteria remnant in the bloodstream. Results: There was no difference between young and adult animals in bacteria uptake by mononuclear phagocyte system organs. In the comparison of groups, it was found out that the mean percent uptake by spleen and liver of animals in the control group was higher than that observed for animals with splenic implants. However, bacteria uptake in the lung was higher in the splenic implant group than in the control group. Although spleen bacteria uptake in the control group animals has been higher than that of animals in the splenic implant group, the remnant bacteria in the bloodstream was similar. Animals submitted to isolated total splenectomy showed higher bacteria remnant in the bloodstream than animals of the control group or the group submitted to total splenectomy combined with splenic autotransplantation. Conclusion: Our results indicate that autogenous splenic implant is efficacious in bacteria depuration in rats, by means of their macrophages phagocytosis. In addition, it does not modify bacteria removal function of liver and lung

  4. Diversity of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O26:H11 Strains Examined via stx Subtypes and Insertion Sites of Stx and EspK Bacteriophages

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonanno, Ludivine; Loukiadis, Estelle; Mariani-Kurkdjian, Patricia; Oswald, Eric; Garnier, Lucille; Michel, Valérie

    2015-01-01

    Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a food-borne pathogen that may be responsible for severe human infections. Only a limited number of serotypes, including O26:H11, are involved in the majority of serious cases and outbreaks. The main virulence factors, Shiga toxins (Stx), are encoded by bacteriophages. Seventy-four STEC O26:H11 strains of various origins (including human, dairy, and cattle) were characterized for their stx subtypes and Stx phage chromosomal insertion sites. The majority of food and cattle strains possessed the stx1a subtype, while human strains carried mainly stx1a or stx2a. The wrbA and yehV genes were the main Stx phage insertion sites in STEC O26:H11, followed distantly by yecE and sbcB. Interestingly, the occurrence of Stx phages inserted in the yecE gene was low in dairy strains. In most of the 29 stx-negative E. coli O26:H11 strains also studied here, these bacterial insertion sites were vacant. Multilocus sequence typing of 20 stx-positive or stx-negative E. coli O26:H11 strains showed that they were distributed into two phylogenetic groups defined by sequence type 21 (ST21) and ST29. Finally, an EspK-carrying phage was found inserted in the ssrA gene in the majority of the STEC O26:H11 strains but in only a minority of the stx-negative E. coli O26:H11 strains. The differences in the stx subtypes and Stx phage insertion sites observed in STEC O26:H11 according to their origin might reflect that strains circulating in cattle and foods are clonally distinct from those isolated from human patients. PMID:25819955

  5. Phylogenetic analysis and taxonomic revision of Physodactylinae (Coleoptera, Elateridae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simone Policena Rosa

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available A phylogeny based on male morphological characters and taxonomic revision of the Physodactylinae genera are presented. The phylogenetic analysis based on 66 male characters resulted in the polyphyly of Physodactylinae which comprises four independent lineages. Oligostethius and Idiotropia from Africa were found to be sister groups. Teslasena from Brazil was corroborated as belonging to Cardiophorinae clade. The South American genera Physodactylus and Dactylophysus were found to be sister groups and phylogenetically related to Heterocrepidius species. The Oriental Toxognathus resulted as sister group of that clade plus (Dicrepidius ramicornis (Lissomus sp, Physorhynus erythrocephalus. Taxonomic revisions include diagnoses and redescriptions of genera and distributional records and illustrations of species. Key to species of Teslasena, Toxognathus, Dactylophysus and Physodactylus are also provided. Teslasena lucasi is synonymized with T. femoralis. A new species of Dactylophysus is described, D. hirtus sp. nov., and lectotypes are designated to non-conspecific D. mendax sensu Fleutiaux and Heterocrepidius mendax Candèze. Physodactylus niger is removed from synonymy under P. oberthuri; P. carreti is synonymized with P. niger; P. obesus and P. testaceus are synonymized with P. sulcatus. Nine new species are described in Physodactylus: P. asper sp. nov., P. brunneus sp. nov., P. chassaini sp. nov., P. flavifrons sp. nov., P. girardi sp. nov., P. gounellei sp. nov., P. latithorax sp. nov., P. patens sp. nov. and P. tuberculatus sp. nov.

  6. The significance of E. coli treatment in perinatal period

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ljubić Aleksandar D.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Bacteriuria of pregnancy is a common condition. Case report: Patient, 30-years, pregnant woman. During pregnancy, E. coli infection recurred in 4 times, applied Cephalexin and Ceftriaxone. The delivery was terminated by CS, GW 38; girl infant, AS 9. After the period of lactation: secretory status - the patient was a secretor of A and H blood type substance; ultrasonography and contrast radiography - presence of the third kidney. The therapy was added by vaccine UroVaxom, and there was no E. coli infection during 2 years follow up period. The Child is now 7 years old girl, having brilliant psychomotorical development. Possible child brain damage, lung damage, mental diseases are the reason for necessity E. coli infection treatment during pregnancy. Conclusion: All pregnant women should be screened for bacteriuria. E. coli is most commonly sensitive to group B antibiotics (cephalexin and amoxicillin, safe to be included in pregnancy. Long-term follow up of infants born from mothers having bacterial infection during pregnancy is necessary.

  7. Phylogenomic and MALDI-TOF MS analysis of Streptococcus sinensis HKU4T reveals a distinct phylogenetic clade in the genus Streptococcus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teng, Jade L L; Huang, Yi; Tse, Herman; Chen, Jonathan H K; Tang, Ying; Lau, Susanna K P; Woo, Patrick C Y

    2014-10-20

    Streptococcus sinensis is a recently discovered human pathogen isolated from blood cultures of patients with infective endocarditis. Its phylogenetic position, as well as those of its closely related species, remains inconclusive when single genes were used for phylogenetic analysis. For example, S. sinensis branched out from members of the anginosus, mitis, and sanguinis groups in the 16S ribosomal RNA gene phylogenetic tree, but it was clustered with members of the anginosus and sanguinis groups when groEL gene sequences used for analysis. In this study, we sequenced the draft genome of S. sinensis and used a polyphasic approach, including concatenated genes, whole genomes, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry to analyze the phylogeny of S. sinensis. The size of the S. sinensis draft genome is 2.06 Mb, with GC content of 42.2%. Phylogenetic analysis using 50 concatenated genes or whole genomes revealed that S. sinensis formed a distinct cluster with Streptococcus oligofermentans and Streptococcus cristatus, and these three streptococci were clustered with the "sanguinis group." As for phylogenetic analysis using hierarchical cluster analysis of the mass spectra of streptococci, S. sinensis also formed a distinct cluster with S. oligofermentans and S. cristatus, but these three streptococci were clustered with the "mitis group." On the basis of the findings, we propose a novel group, named "sinensis group," to include S. sinensis, S. oligofermentans, and S. cristatus, in the Streptococcus genus. Our study also illustrates the power of phylogenomic analyses for resolving ambiguities in bacterial taxonomy. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

  8. Polymorphism of CRISPR shows separated natural groupings of Shigella subtypes and evidence of horizontal transfer of CRISPR

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Chaojie; Li, Peng; Su, Wenli; Li, Hao; Liu, Hongbo; Yang, Guang; Xie, Jing; Yi, Shengjie; Wang, Jian; Cui, Xianyan; Wu, Zhihao; Wang, Ligui; Hao, Rongzhang; Jia, Leili; Qiu, Shaofu; Song, Hongbin

    2015-01-01

    Clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) act as an adaptive RNA-mediated immune mechanism in bacteria. They can also be used for identification and evolutionary studies based on polymorphisms within the CRISPR locus. We amplified and analyzed 6 CRISPR loci from 237 Shigella strains belonging to the 4 species groups, as well as 13 Escherichia coli strains. The CRISPR-associated (cas) gene sequence arrays of these strains were screened and compared. The CRISPR sequences from Shigella were conserved among subtypes, suggesting that CRISPR may represent a new identification tool for the detection and discrimination of Shigella species. Secondary structure analysis showed a different stem-loop structure at the terminal repeat, suggesting a distinct recognition mechanism in the formation of crRNA. In addition, the presence of “self-target” spacers and polymorphisms within CRISPR in Shigella indicated a selective pressure for inhibition of this system, which has the potential to damage “self DNA.” Homology analysis of spacers showed that CRISPR might be involved in the regulation of virulence transmission. Phylogenetic analysis based on CRISPR sequences from Shigella and E. coli indicated that although phenotypic properties maintain convergent evolution, the 4 Shigella species do not represent natural groupings. Surprisingly, comparative analysis of Shigella repeats with other species provided new evidence for CRISPR horizontal transfer. Our results suggested that CRISPR analysis is applicable for the detection of Shigella species and for investigation of evolutionary relationships. PMID:26327282

  9. Polymorphism of CRISPR shows separated natural groupings of Shigella subtypes and evidence of horizontal transfer of CRISPR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Chaojie; Li, Peng; Su, Wenli; Li, Hao; Liu, Hongbo; Yang, Guang; Xie, Jing; Yi, Shengjie; Wang, Jian; Cui, Xianyan; Wu, Zhihao; Wang, Ligui; Hao, Rongzhang; Jia, Leili; Qiu, Shaofu; Song, Hongbin

    2015-01-01

    Clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) act as an adaptive RNA-mediated immune mechanism in bacteria. They can also be used for identification and evolutionary studies based on polymorphisms within the CRISPR locus. We amplified and analyzed 6 CRISPR loci from 237 Shigella strains belonging to the 4 species groups, as well as 13 Escherichia coli strains. The CRISPR-associated (cas) gene sequence arrays of these strains were screened and compared. The CRISPR sequences from Shigella were conserved among subtypes, suggesting that CRISPR may represent a new identification tool for the detection and discrimination of Shigella species. Secondary structure analysis showed a different stem-loop structure at the terminal repeat, suggesting a distinct recognition mechanism in the formation of crRNA. In addition, the presence of "self-target" spacers and polymorphisms within CRISPR in Shigella indicated a selective pressure for inhibition of this system, which has the potential to damage "self DNA." Homology analysis of spacers showed that CRISPR might be involved in the regulation of virulence transmission. Phylogenetic analysis based on CRISPR sequences from Shigella and E. coli indicated that although phenotypic properties maintain convergent evolution, the 4 Shigella species do not represent natural groupings. Surprisingly, comparative analysis of Shigella repeats with other species provided new evidence for CRISPR horizontal transfer. Our results suggested that CRISPR analysis is applicable for the detection of Shigella species and for investigation of evolutionary relationships.

  10. E. Coli and Pregnancy

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... chat Live Help Fact Sheets Share Escherichia coli (E. coli) Friday, 01 September 2017 In every pregnancy, a ... risk. This sheet talks about whether exposure to E. coli may increase the risk for birth defects over ...

  11. High-resolution phylogenetic microbial community profiling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Singer, Esther; Coleman-Derr, Devin; Bowman, Brett; Schwientek, Patrick; Clum, Alicia; Copeland, Alex; Ciobanu, Doina; Cheng, Jan-Fang; Gies, Esther; Hallam, Steve; Tringe, Susannah; Woyke, Tanja

    2014-03-17

    The representation of bacterial and archaeal genome sequences is strongly biased towards cultivated organisms, which belong to merely four phylogenetic groups. Functional information and inter-phylum level relationships are still largely underexplored for candidate phyla, which are often referred to as microbial dark matter. Furthermore, a large portion of the 16S rRNA gene records in the GenBank database are labeled as environmental samples and unclassified, which is in part due to low read accuracy, potential chimeric sequences produced during PCR amplifications and the low resolution of short amplicons. In order to improve the phylogenetic classification of novel species and advance our knowledge of the ecosystem function of uncultivated microorganisms, high-throughput full length 16S rRNA gene sequencing methodologies with reduced biases are needed. We evaluated the performance of PacBio single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing in high-resolution phylogenetic microbial community profiling. For this purpose, we compared PacBio and Illumina metagenomic shotgun and 16S rRNA gene sequencing of a mock community as well as of an environmental sample from Sakinaw Lake, British Columbia. Sakinaw Lake is known to contain a large age of microbial species from candidate phyla. Sequencing results show that community structure based on PacBio shotgun and 16S rRNA gene sequences is highly similar in both the mock and the environmental communities. Resolution power and community representation accuracy from SMRT sequencing data appeared to be independent of GC content of microbial genomes and was higher when compared to Illumina-based metagenome shotgun and 16S rRNA gene (iTag) sequences, e.g. full-length sequencing resolved all 23 OTUs in the mock community, while iTags did not resolve closely related species. SMRT sequencing hence offers various potential benefits when characterizing uncharted microbial communities.

  12. Interactions of the Hindgut Mucosa-Associated Microbiome with Its Host Regulate Shedding of Escherichia coli O157:H7 by Cattle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ou; McAllister, Tim A; Plastow, Graham; Stanford, Kim; Selinger, Brent; Guan, Le Luo

    2018-01-01

    Cattle are the primary carrier of Escherichia coli O157:H7, a foodborne human pathogen, and those shedding >10 4 CFU/gram of feces of E. coli O157:H7 are defined as supershedders (SS). This study investigated the rectoanal junction (RAJ) mucosa-associated microbiota and its relationship with host gene expression in SS and in cattle from which E. coli O157:H7 was not detected (nonshedders [NS]), aiming to elucidate the mechanisms involved in supershedding. In total, 14 phyla, 66 families, and 101 genera of RAJ mucosa-associated bacteria were identified and Firmicutes (61.5 ± 7.5%), Bacteroidetes (27.9 ± 6.4%), and Proteobacteria (5.5 ± 2.1%) were the predominant phyla. Differential abundance analysis of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) identified 2 OTUs unique to SS which were members of Bacteroides and Clostridium and 7 OTUs unique to NS which were members of Coprococcus , Prevotella , Clostridium , and Paludibacter Differential abundance analysis of predicted microbial functions (using PICRUSt [phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states]) revealed that 3 pathways had higher abundance (log 2 fold change, 0.10 to 0.23) whereas 12 pathways had lower abundance (log 2 fold change, -0.36 to -0.20) in SS. In addition, we identified significant correlations between expression of 19 differentially expressed genes and the relative abundance of predicted microbial functions, including nucleic acid polymerization and carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. Our findings suggest that differences in RAJ microbiota at both the compositional and functional levels may be associated with E. coli O157:H7 supershedding and that certain microbial groups and microbial functions may influence RAJ physiology of SS by affecting host gene expression. IMPORTANCE Cattle with fecal E. coli O157:H7 at >10 4 CFU per gram of feces have been defined as the supershedders, and they are responsible for the most of the E. coli O157:H7 spread into farm

  13. Mitogenomic phylogenetic analyses of the Delphinidae with an emphasis on the Globicephalinae

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mouatt, Julia Thidamarth Vilstrup; Ho, Simon Y. W.; Foote, Andrew David

    2011-01-01

    Previous DNA-based phylogenetic studies of the Delphinidae family suggest it has undergone rapid diversification, as characterised by unresolved and poorly supported taxonomic relationships (polytomies) for some of the species within this group. Using an increased amount of sequence data we test ...

  14. Phylogenetic analysis and DNA-based species confirmation in Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter G Foster

    Full Text Available Specimens of neotropical Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus were collected and identified morphologically. We amplified three genes for phylogenetic analysis-the single copy nuclear white and CAD genes, and the COI barcode region. Since we had multiple specimens for most species we were able to test how well the single or combined genes were able to corroborate morphologically defined species by placing the species into exclusive groups. We found that single genes, including the COI barcode region, were poor at confirming species, but that the three genes combined were able to do so much better. This has implications for species identification, species delimitation, and species discovery, and we caution that single genes are not enough. Higher level groupings were partially resolved with some well-supported groupings, whereas others were found to be either polyphyletic or paraphyletic. There were examples of known groups, such as the Myzorhynchella Section, which were poorly supported with single genes but were well supported with combined genes. From this we can infer that more sequence data will be needed in order to show more higher-level groupings with good support. We got unambiguously good support (0.94-1.0 Bayesian posterior probability from all DNA-based analyses for a grouping of An. dunhami with An. nuneztovari and An. goeldii, and because of this and because of morphological similarities we propose that An. dunhami be included in the Nuneztovari Complex. We obtained phylogenetic corroboration for new species which had been recognised by morphological differences; these will need to be formally described and named.

  15. Phylogenetic framework for coevolutionary studies: a compass for exploring jungles of tangled trees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez-Aquino, Andrés

    2016-08-01

    Phylogenetics is used to detect past evolutionary events, from how species originated to how their ecological interactions with other species arose, which can mirror cophylogenetic patterns. Cophylogenetic reconstructions uncover past ecological relationships between taxa through inferred coevolutionary events on trees, for example, codivergence, duplication, host-switching, and loss. These events can be detected by cophylogenetic analyses based on nodes and the length and branching pattern of the phylogenetic trees of symbiotic associations, for example, host-parasite. In the past 2 decades, algorithms have been developed for cophylogetenic analyses and implemented in different software, for example, statistical congruence index and event-based methods. Based on the combination of these approaches, it is possible to integrate temporal information into cophylogenetical inference, such as estimates of lineage divergence times between 2 taxa, for example, hosts and parasites. Additionally, the advances in phylogenetic biogeography applying methods based on parametric process models and combined Bayesian approaches, can be useful for interpreting coevolutionary histories in a scenario of biogeographical area connectivity through time. This article briefly reviews the basics of parasitology and provides an overview of software packages in cophylogenetic methods. Thus, the objective here is to present a phylogenetic framework for coevolutionary studies, with special emphasis on groups of parasitic organisms. Researchers wishing to undertake phylogeny-based coevolutionary studies can use this review as a "compass" when "walking" through jungles of tangled phylogenetic trees.

  16. Chromosomal features of Escherichia coli serotype O2:K2, an avian pathogenic E. coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jørgensen, Steffen L; Kudirkiene, Egle; Li, Lili; Christensen, Jens P; Olsen, John E; Nolan, Lisa; Olsen, Rikke H

    2017-01-01

    Escherichia coli causing infection outside the gastrointestinal system are referred to as extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli. Avian pathogenic E. coli is a subgroup of extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli and infections due to avian pathogenic E. coli have major impact on poultry production economy and welfare worldwide. An almost defining characteristic of avian pathogenic E. coli is the carriage of plasmids, which may encode virulence factors and antibiotic resistance determinates. For the same reason, plasmids of avian pathogenic E. coli have been intensively studied. However, genes encoded by the chromosome may also be important for disease manifestation and antimicrobial resistance. For the E. coli strain APEC_O2 the plasmids have been sequenced and analyzed in several studies, and E. coli APEC_O2 may therefore serve as a reference strain in future studies. Here we describe the chromosomal features of E. coli APEC_O2. E. coli APEC_O2 is a sequence type ST135, has a chromosome of 4,908,820 bp (plasmid removed), comprising 4672 protein-coding genes, 110 RNA genes, and 156 pseudogenes, with an average G + C content of 50.69%. We identified 82 insertion sequences as well as 4672 protein coding sequences, 12 predicated genomic islands, three prophage-related sequences, and two clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats regions on the chromosome, suggesting the possible occurrence of horizontal gene transfer in this strain. The wildtype strain of E. coli APEC_O2 is resistant towards multiple antimicrobials, however, no (complete) antibiotic resistance genes were present on the chromosome, but a number of genes associated with extra-intestinal disease were identified. Together, the information provided here on E. coli APEC_O2 will assist in future studies of avian pathogenic E. coli strains, in particular regarding strain of E. coli APEC_O2, and aid in the general understanding of the pathogenesis of avian pathogenic E. coli .

  17. Phylogenetic Relationships of Five Asian Schilbid Genera Including Clupisoma (Siluriformes: Schilbeidae.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jing Wang

    Full Text Available The phylogenetic relationships of Asian schilbid catfishes of the genera Clupisoma, Ailia, Horabagrus, Laides and Pseudeutropius are poorly understood, especially those of Clupisoma. Herein, we reconstruct the phylogeny of 38 species of catfishes belonging to 28 genera and 14 families using the concatenated mitochondrial genes COI, cytb, and 16S rRNA, as well as the nuclear genes RAG1 and RAG2. The resulting phylogenetic trees consistently place Clupisoma as the sister taxon of Laides, and the five representative Asian schilbid genera form two monophyletic groups with the relationships (Ailia (Laides, Clupisoma and (Horabagrus, Pseudeutropius. The so-called "Big Asia" lineage relates distantly to African schilbids. Independent analyses of the mitochondrial and nuclear DNA data yield differing trees for the two Asian schilbid groups. Analyses of the mitochondrial gene data support a sister-group relationship for (Ailia (Laides, Clupisoma and the Sisoroidea and a sister-taxon association of (Horabagrus, Pseudeutropius and the Bagridae. In contrast, analyses of the combined nuclear data indicate (Ailia (Laides, Clupisoma to be the sister group to (Horabagrus, Pseudeutropius. Our results indicate that the Horabagridae, recognized by some authors as consisting of Horabagrus, Pseudeutropius and Clupisoma does not include the latter genus. We formally erect a new family, Ailiidae fam. nov. for a monophyletic Asian group comprised of the genera Ailia, Laides and Clupisoma.

  18. Evaluation of Colicin Effect on the Induction of Treated Mice in Prevention of Infection Caused by Escherichia coli K99

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yahya Tahamtan

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Background. Colicin produce by colicinogenic E. coli (CEC arenarrow limited spectrum antimicrobial agents that are able to kill or prevent close related strains. Objective. The objective of this study was to evaluation effect of Colicin to induce immunized mice to prevent infection caused by E. coliK99. Patient and Methods. The experiment was conducted into two mice groups (30 in each group with two weeks old. All mice were administered by streptomycin sulfate prior to treatment to eliminate resident E. coli. Group one was orally inoculated with PBS as control and the second was immunized by Colicin solution as immunize group. Both control and immunized group were challenged by 3 LD 50 of E. coli K99 and follow a week. Results. Immunized mice group were not showed severe clinical signs. While diarrhea with different sings of colibaccillosis was established in control group and infected mice was died. Conclusion. Overuse antibiotics developed serious new types of multi drug resistance in human medicine and therefore has limited their use in farm animals. The study indicates the use of Colicin and biotherapy instead of antibiotic is more safe and efficient for control of E. coliK99 infection. Immunized mice by Colicin solution protected E. coli K99 colonization and reduce fecal shedding. Investigation in livestock for applying Colicin in farm animal is recommended.

  19. Phylogenetic position of Leishmania isolates from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Nazma Habib; Messenger, Louisa A; Wahid, Sobia; Sutherland, Colin J

    2016-08-01

    Several species of the genus Leishmania are causative agents of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Pakistan. This study aimed to determine phylogenetic placement of Leishmania species causing cutaneous leishmaniasis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan (34 Leishmania tropica, 3 Leishmania infantum), in-relation to species from other geographical areas using gene sequences encoding cytochrome b (cytb) and internal transcribed spacer 2 (its2). Based on cytochrome b sequence analysis, L. tropica strains from Pakistan and other geographical regions were differentiated into two genotype groups, A and B. Within the province, five distinct L. tropica genotypes were recognized; two in group A, three in group B. Two L. infantum isolates from the province were closely associated with both Afro-Eurasian and American species of the Leishmania donovani complex, including Leishmania chagasi, L. infantum and L. donovani from Sudan and Ethiopia; while a third L. infantum isolate could not be differentiated from visceralizing Kenyan and Indian L. donovani. We observed apposite phylogenetic placement of CL-causing L. tropica and L. infantum from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Affinities ascribed to Leishmania spp. From the region are valuable in tracing potential importation of leishmaniasis. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. The phylogenetics of succession can guide restoration

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Shooner, Stephanie; Chisholm, Chelsea Lee; Davies, T. Jonathan

    2015-01-01

    Phylogenetic tools have increasingly been used in community ecology to describe the evolutionary relationships among co-occurring species. In studies of succession, such tools may allow us to identify the evolutionary lineages most suited for particular stages of succession and habitat...... rehabilitation. However, to date, these two applications have been largely separate. Here, we suggest that information on phylogenetic community structure might help to inform community restoration strategies following major disturbance. Our study examined phylogenetic patterns of succession based...... for species sorting along abiotic gradients (slope and aspect) on the mine sites that had been abandoned for the longest. Synthesis and applications. Understanding the trajectory of succession is critical for restoration efforts. Our results suggest that early colonizers represent a phylogenetically random...

  1. Effects of Phylogenetic Tree Style on Student Comprehension

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dees, Jonathan Andrew

    Phylogenetic trees are powerful tools of evolutionary biology that have become prominent across the life sciences. Consequently, learning to interpret and reason from phylogenetic trees is now an essential component of biology education. However, students often struggle to understand these diagrams, even after explicit instruction. One factor that has been observed to affect student understanding of phylogenetic trees is style (i.e., diagonal or bracket). The goal of this dissertation research was to systematically explore effects of style on student interpretations and construction of phylogenetic trees in the context of an introductory biology course. Before instruction, students were significantly more accurate with bracket phylogenetic trees for a variety of interpretation and construction tasks. Explicit instruction that balanced the use of diagonal and bracket phylogenetic trees mitigated some, but not all, style effects. After instruction, students were significantly more accurate for interpretation tasks involving taxa relatedness and construction exercises when using the bracket style. Based on this dissertation research and prior studies on style effects, I advocate for introductory biology instructors to use only the bracket style. Future research should examine causes of style effects and variables other than style to inform the development of research-based instruction that best supports student understanding of phylogenetic trees.

  2. Campylobacter jejuni CsrA complements an Escherichia coli csrA mutation for the regulation of biofilm formation, motility and cellular morphology but not glycogen accumulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Background Although Campylobacter jejuni is consistently ranked as one of the leading causes of bacterial diarrhea worldwide, the mechanisms by which C. jejuni causes disease and how they are regulated have yet to be clearly defined. The global regulator, CsrA, has been well characterized in several bacterial genera and is known to regulate a number of independent pathways via a post transcriptional mechanism, but remains relatively uncharacterized in the genus Campylobacter. Previously, we reported data illustrating the requirement for CsrA in several virulence related phenotypes of C. jejuni strain 81–176, indicating that the Csr pathway is important for Campylobacter pathogenesis. Results We compared the Escherichia coli and C. jejuni orthologs of CsrA and characterized the ability of the C. jejuni CsrA protein to functionally complement an E. coli csrA mutant. Phylogenetic comparison of E. coli CsrA to orthologs from several pathogenic bacteria demonstrated variability in C. jejuni CsrA relative to the known RNA binding domains of E. coli CsrA and in several amino acids reported to be involved in E. coli CsrA-mediated gene regulation. When expressed in an E. coli csrA mutant, C. jejuni CsrA succeeded in recovering defects in motility, biofilm formation, and cellular morphology; however, it failed to return excess glycogen accumulation to wild type levels. Conclusions These findings suggest that C. jejuni CsrA is capable of efficiently binding some E. coli CsrA binding sites, but not others, and provide insight into the biochemistry of C. jejuni CsrA. PMID:23051923

  3. Phylogenetic reconstruction of endophytic fungal isolates using internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region.

    Science.gov (United States)

    GokulRaj, Kathamuthu; Sundaresan, Natesan; Ganeshan, Enthai Jagan; Rajapriya, Pandi; Muthumary, Johnpaul; Sridhar, Jayavel; Pandi, Mohan

    2014-01-01

    Endophytic fungi are inhabitants of plants, living most part of their lifecycle asymptomatically which mainly confer protection and ecological advantages to the host plant. In this present study, 48 endophytic fungi were isolated from the leaves of three medicinal plants and characterized based on ITS2 sequence - secondary structure analysis. ITS2 secondary structures were elucidated with minimum free energy method (MFOLD version 3.1) and consensus structure of each genus was generated by 4SALE. ProfDistS was used to generate ITS2 sequence structure based phylogenetic tree respectively. Our elucidated isolates were belonging to Ascomycetes family, representing 5 orders and 6 genera. Colletotrichum/Glomerella spp., Diaporthae/Phomopsis spp., and Alternaria spp., were predominantly observed while Cochliobolus sp., Cladosporium sp., and Emericella sp., were represented by singletons. The constructed phylogenetic tree has well resolved monophyletic groups with >50% bootstrap value support. Secondary structures based fungal systematics improves not only the stability; it also increases the precision of phylogenetic inference. Above ITS2 based phylogenetic analysis was performed for our 48 isolates along with sequences of known ex-types taken from GenBank which confirms the efficiency of the proposed method. Further, we propose it as superlative marker for reconstructing phylogenetic relationships at different taxonomic levels due to their lesser length.

  4. Bayesian models for comparative analysis integrating phylogenetic uncertainty

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Villemereuil Pierre de

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Uncertainty in comparative analyses can come from at least two sources: a phylogenetic uncertainty in the tree topology or branch lengths, and b uncertainty due to intraspecific variation in trait values, either due to measurement error or natural individual variation. Most phylogenetic comparative methods do not account for such uncertainties. Not accounting for these sources of uncertainty leads to false perceptions of precision (confidence intervals will be too narrow and inflated significance in hypothesis testing (e.g. p-values will be too small. Although there is some application-specific software for fitting Bayesian models accounting for phylogenetic error, more general and flexible software is desirable. Methods We developed models to directly incorporate phylogenetic uncertainty into a range of analyses that biologists commonly perform, using a Bayesian framework and Markov Chain Monte Carlo analyses. Results We demonstrate applications in linear regression, quantification of phylogenetic signal, and measurement error models. Phylogenetic uncertainty was incorporated by applying a prior distribution for the phylogeny, where this distribution consisted of the posterior tree sets from Bayesian phylogenetic tree estimation programs. The models were analysed using simulated data sets, and applied to a real data set on plant traits, from rainforest plant species in Northern Australia. Analyses were performed using the free and open source software OpenBUGS and JAGS. Conclusions Incorporating phylogenetic uncertainty through an empirical prior distribution of trees leads to more precise estimation of regression model parameters than using a single consensus tree and enables a more realistic estimation of confidence intervals. In addition, models incorporating measurement errors and/or individual variation, in one or both variables, are easily formulated in the Bayesian framework. We show that BUGS is a useful, flexible

  5. Bayesian models for comparative analysis integrating phylogenetic uncertainty

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Background Uncertainty in comparative analyses can come from at least two sources: a) phylogenetic uncertainty in the tree topology or branch lengths, and b) uncertainty due to intraspecific variation in trait values, either due to measurement error or natural individual variation. Most phylogenetic comparative methods do not account for such uncertainties. Not accounting for these sources of uncertainty leads to false perceptions of precision (confidence intervals will be too narrow) and inflated significance in hypothesis testing (e.g. p-values will be too small). Although there is some application-specific software for fitting Bayesian models accounting for phylogenetic error, more general and flexible software is desirable. Methods We developed models to directly incorporate phylogenetic uncertainty into a range of analyses that biologists commonly perform, using a Bayesian framework and Markov Chain Monte Carlo analyses. Results We demonstrate applications in linear regression, quantification of phylogenetic signal, and measurement error models. Phylogenetic uncertainty was incorporated by applying a prior distribution for the phylogeny, where this distribution consisted of the posterior tree sets from Bayesian phylogenetic tree estimation programs. The models were analysed using simulated data sets, and applied to a real data set on plant traits, from rainforest plant species in Northern Australia. Analyses were performed using the free and open source software OpenBUGS and JAGS. Conclusions Incorporating phylogenetic uncertainty through an empirical prior distribution of trees leads to more precise estimation of regression model parameters than using a single consensus tree and enables a more realistic estimation of confidence intervals. In addition, models incorporating measurement errors and/or individual variation, in one or both variables, are easily formulated in the Bayesian framework. We show that BUGS is a useful, flexible general purpose tool for

  6. Ghost-tree: creating hybrid-gene phylogenetic trees for diversity analyses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fouquier, Jennifer; Rideout, Jai Ram; Bolyen, Evan; Chase, John; Shiffer, Arron; McDonald, Daniel; Knight, Rob; Caporaso, J Gregory; Kelley, Scott T

    2016-02-24

    Fungi play critical roles in many ecosystems, cause serious diseases in plants and animals, and pose significant threats to human health and structural integrity problems in built environments. While most fungal diversity remains unknown, the development of PCR primers for the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) combined with next-generation sequencing has substantially improved our ability to profile fungal microbial diversity. Although the high sequence variability in the ITS region facilitates more accurate species identification, it also makes multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis unreliable across evolutionarily distant fungi because the sequences are hard to align accurately. To address this issue, we created ghost-tree, a bioinformatics tool that integrates sequence data from two genetic markers into a single phylogenetic tree that can be used for diversity analyses. Our approach starts with a "foundation" phylogeny based on one genetic marker whose sequences can be aligned across organisms spanning divergent taxonomic groups (e.g., fungal families). Then, "extension" phylogenies are built for more closely related organisms (e.g., fungal species or strains) using a second more rapidly evolving genetic marker. These smaller phylogenies are then grafted onto the foundation tree by mapping taxonomic names such that each corresponding foundation-tree tip would branch into its new "extension tree" child. We applied ghost-tree to graft fungal extension phylogenies derived from ITS sequences onto a foundation phylogeny derived from fungal 18S sequences. Our analysis of simulated and real fungal ITS data sets found that phylogenetic distances between fungal communities computed using ghost-tree phylogenies explained significantly more variance than non-phylogenetic distances. The phylogenetic metrics also improved our ability to distinguish small differences (effect sizes) between microbial communities, though results were similar to non-phylogenetic

  7. Human Meningitis-Associated Escherichia coli

    Science.gov (United States)

    KIM, KWANG SIK

    2016-01-01

    E. coli is the most common Gram-negative bacillary organism causing meningitis and E. coli meningitis continues to be an important cause of mortality and morbidity throughout the world. Our incomplete knowledge of its pathogenesis contributes to such mortality and morbidity. Recent reports of E. coli strains producing CTX-M-type or TEM-type extended-spectrum β-lactamases create a challenge. Studies using in vitro and in vivo models of the blood-brain barrier have shown that E. coli meningitis follows a high-degree of bacteremia and invasion of the blood-brain barrier. E. coli invasion of the blood-brain barrier, the essentials step in the development of E. coli meningitis, requires specific microbial and host factors as well as microbe- and host-specific signaling molecules. Blockade of such microbial and host factors contributing to E. coli invasion of the blood-brain barrier is shown to be efficient in preventing E. coli penetration into the brain. The basis for requiring a high-degree of bacteremia for E. coli penetration of the blood-brain barrier, however, remains unclear. Continued investigation on the microbial and host factors contributing to a high-degree of bacteremia and E. coli invasion of the blood-brain barrier is likely to identify new targets for prevention and therapy of E. coli meningitis. PMID:27223820

  8. Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli Markers and Phenotypes among Fecal E. coli Isolates Collected from Nicaraguan Infants ▿

    OpenAIRE

    Reyes, Daniel; Vilchez, Samuel; Paniagua, Margarita; Colque-Navarro, Patricia; Weintraub, Andrej; Möllby, Roland; Kühn, Inger

    2010-01-01

    We analyzed the prevalence of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) markers and common phenotypes in 2,164 E. coli isolates from 282 DEC-positive samples. Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) and enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) were very diverse and were not correlated with diarrhea. Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) estA and enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) belonged to a few phenotypes and were significantly correlated with diarrhea.

  9. Nucleotide diversity and phylogenetic relationships among ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Navya

    2 attached at the base of tree as the diverging Iridaceae relative's lineage. Present study revealed that psbA-trnH region are useful in addressing questions of phylogenetic relationships among the Gladiolus cultivars, as these intergenic spacers are more variable and have more phylogenetically informative sites than the ...

  10. Molecular phylogenetics of finches and sparrows: consequences of character state removal in cytochrome b sequences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Groth, J G

    1998-12-01

    The complete mitochondrial cytochrome b genes of 53 genera of oscine passerine birds representing the major groups of finches and some allies were compared. Phylogenetic trees resulting from three levels of character partition removal (no data removed, transitions at third positions of codons removed, and all transitions removed [transversion parsimony]) were generally concordant, and all supported several basic statements regarding relationships of finches and finch-like birds, including: (1) larks (Alaudidae) show no close relationship to any finch group; (2) Peucedramus (olive warbler) is phylogenetically far removed from true wood warblers; (3) a clade consisting of fringillids, passerids, motacillids, and emberizids is supported, and this clade is characterized by evolution of a vestigial 10th wing primary; and (4) Hawaiian honeycreepers are derived from within the cardueline finches. Excluding transition substitutions at third positions of codons resulted in phylogenetic trees similar to, but with greater bootstrap nodal support than, trees derived using either all data (equally weighted) or transversion parsimony. Relative to the shortest trees obtained using all data, the topologies obtained after elimination of third-position transitions showed only slight increases in realized treelength and homoplasy. These increases were negligable compared to increases in overall nodal support; therefore, this partition removal scheme may enhance recovery of deep phylogenetic signal in protein-coding DNA datasets. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

  11. Point estimates in phylogenetic reconstructions

    OpenAIRE

    Benner, Philipp; Bacak, Miroslav; Bourguignon, Pierre-Yves

    2013-01-01

    Motivation: The construction of statistics for summarizing posterior samples returned by a Bayesian phylogenetic study has so far been hindered by the poor geometric insights available into the space of phylogenetic trees, and ad hoc methods such as the derivation of a consensus tree makeup for the ill-definition of the usual concepts of posterior mean, while bootstrap methods mitigate the absence of a sound concept of variance. Yielding satisfactory results with sufficiently concentrated pos...

  12. Effect of bile on growth, peritoneal absorption, and blood clearance of Escherichia coli in E coli peritonitis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andersson, R.; Schalen, C.; Tranberg, K.G.

    1991-01-01

    The effect of intraperitoneal bile on growth, peritoneal absorption, and clearance of Escherichia coli was determined in E coli peritonitis in the rat. In E coli peritonitis, intraperitoneal bacterial counts gradually decreased, whereas they increased (after 2 hours) with subsequent development of bacteremia in E coli plus bile peritonitis. After an intraperitoneal injection of labeled bacteria, blood radioactivity was only initially lower in E coli plus bile peritonitis compared with E coli peritonitis. Clearance from blood was lower in E coli plus bile peritonitis than in E coli peritonitis. Organ localization was similar in E coli peritonitis and E coli plus bile peritonitis with decreased splenic, increased pulmonary, and unchanged hepatic uptakes compared with controls. Impaired peritoneal absorption of bacteria, together with impaired local host defense, is likely to enhance the noxious effect of bile in E coli peritonitis

  13. Diversity of Phylogenetic Information According to the Locus and the Taxonomic Level: An Example from a Parasitic Mesostigmatid Mite Genus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lise Roy

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Molecular markers for cladistic analyses may perform differently according to the taxonomic group considered and the historical level under investigation. Here we evaluate the phylogenetic potential of five different markers for resolving evolutionary relationships within the ectoparasitic genus Dermanyssus at the species level, and their ability to address questions about the evolution of specialization. COI provided 9–18% divergence between species (up to 9% within species, 16S rRNA 10–16% (up to 4% within species, ITS1 and 2 2–9% (up to 1% within species and Tropomyosin intron n 8–20% (up to 6% within species. EF-1a revealed different non-orthologous copies withinindividuals of Dermanyssus and Ornithonyssus. Tropomyosin intron n was shown containing consistent phylogenetic signal at the specific level within Dermanyssus and represents a promising marker for future prospects in phylogenetics of Acari. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the generalist condition is apomorphic and D. gallinae mightrepresent a complex of hybridized lineages. The split into hirsutus-group and gallinae-group in Dermanyssus does not seem to be appropriate based upon these results and D. longipes appears to be composed of two different entities.

  14. The complete mitochondrial genome of Pallisentis celatus (Acanthocephala) with phylogenetic analysis of acanthocephalans and rotifers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Ting Shuang; Nie, Pin

    2013-07-01

    Acanthocephalans are a small group of obligate endoparasites. They and rotifers are recently placed in a group called Syndermata. However, phylogenetic relationships within classes of acanthocephalans, and between them and rotifers, have not been well resolved, possibly due to the lack of molecular data suitable for such analysis. In this study, the mitochondrial (mt) genome was sequenced from Pallisentis celatus (Van Cleave, 1928), an acanthocephalan in the class Eoacanthocephala, an intestinal parasite of rice-field eel, Monopterus albus (Zuiew, 1793), in China. The complete mt genome sequence of P. celatus is 13 855 bp long, containing 36 genes including 12 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs (tRNAs) and 2 ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) as reported for other acanthocephalan species. All genes are encoded on the same strand and in the same direction. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that acanthocephalans are closely related with a clade containing bdelloids, which then correlates with the clade containing monogononts. The class Eoacanthocephala, containing P. celatus and Paratenuisentis ambiguus (Van Cleave, 1921) was closely related to the Palaeacanthocephala. It is thus indicated that acanthocephalans may be just clustered among groups of rotifers. However, the resolving of phylogenetic relationship among all classes of acanthocephalans and between them and rotifers may require further sampling and more molecular data.

  15. Molecular Phylogenetics of the Serranid Subfamily Epinephelinae: Speciation and Biogeography in a Nearshore Marine Fish Clade

    OpenAIRE

    Craig, Matthew T,

    2005-01-01

    The processes that shape present day distributions of marine organisms have remained a central topic in evolutionary biology, conservation biology, and ecology. In this thesis, genetic data from mitochondrial and nuclear genes were used to create a phylogenetic hypothesis for the groupers of the subfamily Epinephelinae as a means of evaluating the current taxonomy of the group and the geography of speciation in marine organisms. The molecular phylogenetic hypothesis presented in Chap...

  16. Conjugation in Escherichia coli

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyer, Herbert

    1966-01-01

    Boyer, Herbert (Yale University, New Haven, Conn.). Conjugation in Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 91:1767–1772. 1966.—The sex factor of Escherichia coli K-12 was introduced into an E. coli B/r strain by circumventing the host-controlled modification and restriction incompatibilities known to exist between these closely related strains. The sexual properties of the constructed F+ B strain and its Hfr derivatives were examined. These studies showed that the E. coli strain B/r F+ and Hfr derivatives are similar to the E. coli strain K-12 F+ and Hfr derivatives. However, the site of sex factor integration was found to be dependent on the host genome. PMID:5327905

  17. MimiLook: A Phylogenetic Workflow for Detection of Gene Acquisition in Major Orthologous Groups of Megavirales.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jain, Sourabh; Panda, Arup; Colson, Philippe; Raoult, Didier; Pontarotti, Pierre

    2017-04-07

    With the inclusion of new members, understanding about evolutionary mechanisms and processes by which members of the proposed order, Megavirales, have evolved has become a key area of interest. The central role of gene acquisition has been shown in previous studies. However, the major drawback in gene acquisition studies is the focus on few MV families or putative families with large variation in their genetic structure. Thus, here we have tried to develop a methodology by which we can detect horizontal gene transfers (HGTs), taking into consideration orthologous groups of distantly related Megavirale families. Here, we report an automated workflow MimiLook, prepared as a Perl command line program, that deduces orthologous groups (OGs) from ORFomes of Megavirales and constructs phylogenetic trees by performing alignment generation, alignment editing and protein-protein BLAST (BLASTP) searching across the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) non-redundant (nr) protein sequence database. Finally, this tool detects statistically validated events of gene acquisitions with the help of the T-REX algorithm by comparing individual gene tree with NCBI species tree. In between the steps, the workflow decides about handling paralogs, filtering outputs, identifying Megavirale specific OGs, detection of HGTs, along with retrieval of information about those OGs that are monophyletic with organisms from cellular domains of life. By implementing MimiLook, we noticed that nine percent of Megavirale gene families (i.e., OGs) have been acquired by HGT, 80% OGs were Megaviralespecific and eight percent were found to be sharing common ancestry with members of cellular domains (Eukaryote, Bacteria, Archaea, Phages or other viruses) and three percent were ambivalent. The results are briefly discussed to emphasize methodology. Also, MimiLook is relevant for detecting evolutionary scenarios in other targeted phyla with user defined modifications. It can be accessed at

  18. The evolutionary divergence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli is reflected in clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) spacer composition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Shuang; Jensen, Mark A; Bai, Jiawei; Debroy, Chitrita; Barrangou, Rodolphe; Dudley, Edward G

    2013-09-01

    The Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains, including those of O157:H7 and the "big six" serogroups (i.e., serogroups O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145), are a group of pathogens designated food adulterants in the United States. The relatively conserved nature of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) in phylogenetically related E. coli strains makes them potential subtyping markers for STEC detection, and a quantitative PCR (qPCR)-based assay was previously developed for O26:H11, O45:H2, O103:H2, O111:H8, O121:H19, O145:H28, and O157:H7 isolates. To better evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of this qPCR method, the CRISPR loci of 252 O157 and big-six STEC isolates were sequenced and analyzed along with 563 CRISPR1 and 624 CRISPR2 sequences available in GenBank. General conservation of spacer content and order was observed within each O157 and big-six serogroup, validating the qPCR method. Meanwhile, it was found that spacer deletion, the presence of an insertion sequence, and distinct alleles within a serogroup are sources of false-negative reactions. Conservation of CRISPR arrays among isolates expressing the same flagellar antigen, specifically, H7, H2, and H11, suggested that these isolates share an ancestor and provided an explanation for the false positives previously observed in the qPCR results. An analysis of spacer distribution across E. coli strains provided limited evidence for temporal spacer acquisition. Conversely, comparison of CRISPR sequences between strains along the stepwise evolution of O157:H7 from its O55:H7 ancestor revealed that, over this ∼7,000-year span, spacer deletion was the primary force generating CRISPR diversity.

  19. In-vitro Antibiotic Resistance Profile of E. coli Strains Isolated from Community-acquired Paediatric Urinary Tract Infections in Karabuk Province

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nergis Asgin

    2017-09-01

    Results: A total of 410 uropathogenic E.coli strains were isolated from 328 (80% female and 82 (20% male patients. In all age groups, E.coli was more frequently isolated from girls. There was a statistically significant difference between female gender and E. coli isolation rates in all age groups (p [J Contemp Med 2017; 7(3.000: 241-245

  20. Assessment of phylogenetic sensitivity for reconstructing HIV-1 epidemiological relationships.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beloukas, Apostolos; Magiorkinis, Emmanouil; Magiorkinis, Gkikas; Zavitsanou, Asimina; Karamitros, Timokratis; Hatzakis, Angelos; Paraskevis, Dimitrios

    2012-06-01

    Phylogenetic analysis has been extensively used as a tool for the reconstruction of epidemiological relations for research or for forensic purposes. It was our objective to assess the sensitivity of different phylogenetic methods and various phylogenetic programs to reconstruct epidemiological links among HIV-1 infected patients that is the probability to reveal a true transmission relationship. Multiple datasets (90) were prepared consisting of HIV-1 sequences in protease (PR) and partial reverse transcriptase (RT) sampled from patients with documented epidemiological relationship (target population), and from unrelated individuals (control population) belonging to the same HIV-1 subtype as the target population. Each dataset varied regarding the number, the geographic origin and the transmission risk groups of the sequences among the control population. Phylogenetic trees were inferred by neighbor-joining (NJ), maximum likelihood heuristics (hML) and Bayesian methods. All clusters of sequences belonging to the target population were correctly reconstructed by NJ and Bayesian methods receiving high bootstrap and posterior probability (PP) support, respectively. On the other hand, TreePuzzle failed to reconstruct or provide significant support for several clusters; high puzzling step support was associated with the inclusion of control sequences from the same geographic area as the target population. In contrary, all clusters were correctly reconstructed by hML as implemented in PhyML 3.0 receiving high bootstrap support. We report that under the conditions of our study, hML using PhyML, NJ and Bayesian methods were the most sensitive for the reconstruction of epidemiological links mostly from sexually infected individuals. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. PCOGR: Phylogenetic COG ranking as an online tool to judge the specificity of COGs with respect to freely definable groups of organisms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kaufmann Michael

    2004-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The rapidly increasing number of completely sequenced genomes led to the establishment of the COG-database which, based on sequence homologies, assigns similar proteins from different organisms to clusters of orthologous groups (COGs. There are several bioinformatic studies that made use of this database to determine (hyperthermophile-specific proteins by searching for COGs containing (almost exclusively proteins from (hyperthermophilic genomes. However, public software to perform individually definable group-specific searches is not available. Results The tool described here exactly fills this gap. The software is accessible at http://www.uni-wh.de/pcogr and is linked to the COG-database. The user can freely define two groups of organisms by selecting for each of the (current 66 organisms to belong either to groupA, to the reference groupB or to be ignored by the algorithm. Then, for all COGs a specificity index is calculated with respect to the specificity to groupA, i. e. high scoring COGs contain proteins from the most of groupA organisms while proteins from the most organisms assigned to groupB are absent. In addition to ranking all COGs according to the user defined specificity criteria, a graphical visualization shows the distribution of all COGs by displaying their abundance as a function of their specificity indexes. Conclusions This software allows detecting COGs specific to a predefined group of organisms. All COGs are ranked in the order of their specificity and a graphical visualization allows recognizing (i the presence and abundance of such COGs and (ii the phylogenetic relationship between groupA- and groupB-organisms. The software also allows detecting putative protein-protein interactions, novel enzymes involved in only partially known biochemical pathways, and alternate enzymes originated by convergent evolution.

  2. PCOGR: phylogenetic COG ranking as an online tool to judge the specificity of COGs with respect to freely definable groups of organisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meereis, Florian; Kaufmann, Michael

    2004-10-15

    The rapidly increasing number of completely sequenced genomes led to the establishment of the COG-database which, based on sequence homologies, assigns similar proteins from different organisms to clusters of orthologous groups (COGs). There are several bioinformatic studies that made use of this database to determine (hyper)thermophile-specific proteins by searching for COGs containing (almost) exclusively proteins from (hyper)thermophilic genomes. However, public software to perform individually definable group-specific searches is not available. The tool described here exactly fills this gap. The software is accessible at http://www.uni-wh.de/pcogr and is linked to the COG-database. The user can freely define two groups of organisms by selecting for each of the (current) 66 organisms to belong either to groupA, to the reference groupB or to be ignored by the algorithm. Then, for all COGs a specificity index is calculated with respect to the specificity to groupA, i. e. high scoring COGs contain proteins from the most of groupA organisms while proteins from the most organisms assigned to groupB are absent. In addition to ranking all COGs according to the user defined specificity criteria, a graphical visualization shows the distribution of all COGs by displaying their abundance as a function of their specificity indexes. This software allows detecting COGs specific to a predefined group of organisms. All COGs are ranked in the order of their specificity and a graphical visualization allows recognizing (i) the presence and abundance of such COGs and (ii) the phylogenetic relationship between groupA- and groupB-organisms. The software also allows detecting putative protein-protein interactions, novel enzymes involved in only partially known biochemical pathways, and alternate enzymes originated by convergent evolution.

  3. Using tree diversity to compare phylogenetic heuristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sul, Seung-Jin; Matthews, Suzanne; Williams, Tiffani L

    2009-04-29

    Evolutionary trees are family trees that represent the relationships between a group of organisms. Phylogenetic heuristics are used to search stochastically for the best-scoring trees in tree space. Given that better tree scores are believed to be better approximations of the true phylogeny, traditional evaluation techniques have used tree scores to determine the heuristics that find the best scores in the fastest time. We develop new techniques to evaluate phylogenetic heuristics based on both tree scores and topologies to compare Pauprat and Rec-I-DCM3, two popular Maximum Parsimony search algorithms. Our results show that although Pauprat and Rec-I-DCM3 find the trees with the same best scores, topologically these trees are quite different. Furthermore, the Rec-I-DCM3 trees cluster distinctly from the Pauprat trees. In addition to our heatmap visualizations of using parsimony scores and the Robinson-Foulds distance to compare best-scoring trees found by the two heuristics, we also develop entropy-based methods to show the diversity of the trees found. Overall, Pauprat identifies more diverse trees than Rec-I-DCM3. Overall, our work shows that there is value to comparing heuristics beyond the parsimony scores that they find. Pauprat is a slower heuristic than Rec-I-DCM3. However, our work shows that there is tremendous value in using Pauprat to reconstruct trees-especially since it finds identical scoring but topologically distinct trees. Hence, instead of discounting Pauprat, effort should go in improving its implementation. Ultimately, improved performance measures lead to better phylogenetic heuristics and will result in better approximations of the true evolutionary history of the organisms of interest.

  4. Visualizing phylogenetic tree landscapes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilgenbusch, James C; Huang, Wen; Gallivan, Kyle A

    2017-02-02

    Genomic-scale sequence alignments are increasingly used to infer phylogenies in order to better understand the processes and patterns of evolution. Different partitions within these new alignments (e.g., genes, codon positions, and structural features) often favor hundreds if not thousands of competing phylogenies. Summarizing and comparing phylogenies obtained from multi-source data sets using current consensus tree methods discards valuable information and can disguise potential methodological problems. Discovery of efficient and accurate dimensionality reduction methods used to display at once in 2- or 3- dimensions the relationship among these competing phylogenies will help practitioners diagnose the limits of current evolutionary models and potential problems with phylogenetic reconstruction methods when analyzing large multi-source data sets. We introduce several dimensionality reduction methods to visualize in 2- and 3-dimensions the relationship among competing phylogenies obtained from gene partitions found in three mid- to large-size mitochondrial genome alignments. We test the performance of these dimensionality reduction methods by applying several goodness-of-fit measures. The intrinsic dimensionality of each data set is also estimated to determine whether projections in 2- and 3-dimensions can be expected to reveal meaningful relationships among trees from different data partitions. Several new approaches to aid in the comparison of different phylogenetic landscapes are presented. Curvilinear Components Analysis (CCA) and a stochastic gradient decent (SGD) optimization method give the best representation of the original tree-to-tree distance matrix for each of the three- mitochondrial genome alignments and greatly outperformed the method currently used to visualize tree landscapes. The CCA + SGD method converged at least as fast as previously applied methods for visualizing tree landscapes. We demonstrate for all three mtDNA alignments that 3D

  5. Prevalence and characterisation of shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli isolated from beef cattle fed with prebiotics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grispoldi, Luca; Bertero, Filippo; Franceschini, Serena; Mastrosimone, Francesco; Sechi, Paola; Iulietto, Maria Francesca; Ceccarelli, Margherita; Cenci-Goga, Beniamino Terzo

    2017-01-01

    Ten Holstein Friesian calves were divided into two groups of five: one group was given prebiotics in their food, while the other group served as the control group. Every two weeks from birth up to 18 months, samples of feces were taken from the rectal ampulla to determine the concentration of E. coli. At each sampling session, three aliquots per sample were collected. The arithmetic mean was calculated and all values (converted into logs) were analysed with GraphPad InStat for analysis of variance, followed by the Tukey-Kramer test. A total of 69 E. coli strains were detected, 29 (42.03%) from treated animals and 40 (57.97%) from the control group. The isolates were analysed by PCR for the presence of the stx-1, stx-2, hly and eae genes and by the Kirby Bauer test for susceptibility to the most commonly used antimicrobials in cattle breeding. Hierarchical clustering of the isolates was done using Ward’s method. Thirty samples were positive for the stx-1 gene, 18 for stx- 2, 12 for both stx-1 and stx-2, 8 for hly, and 10 for eae. 4.3% were resistant to sulfamides, 8.6% to tetracycline, 1.4% to gentamicin, 94.6% to cephalothin, 2.8% to chloramphenicol, 13% to ampicillin, 13% to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, 7.2% to sulphonamides, 4.3% to ceftriaxone, 5.7% to nalidixic acid, 34.7% to ticarcillin, 88.5% to erythromycin, and 5.7% to streptomycin. The isolates from the samples taken from day 210 to day 300 were grouped into a single cluster. Bacteriological examinations showed a reduction in the concentration of E. coli in the feces of the treated animals compared to the control group. The presence of strains with shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli virulence profiles and the reduction of these in the treated animal group demonstrated that diet can play an important role in reducing E. coli prevalence in cattle. PMID:29564239

  6. Phylogenetic relationships between Sarcocystis species from reindeer and other Sarcocystidae deduced from ssu rRNA gene sequences

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dahlgren, S.S.; Oliveira, Rodrigo Gouveia; Gjerde, B.

    2008-01-01

    any effect on previously inferred phylogenetic relationships within the Sarcocystidae. The complete small subunit (ssu) rRNA gene sequences of all six Sarcocystis species from reindeer were used in the phylogenetic analyses along with ssu rRNA gene sequences of 85 other members of the Coccidea. Trees...... the six species in phylogenetic analyses of the Sarcocystidae, and also to investigate the phylogenetic relationships between the species from reindeer and those from other hosts. The study also aimed at revealing whether the inclusion of six Sarcocystis species from the same intermediate host would have....... tarandivulpes, formed a sister group to other Sarcocystis species with a canine definitive host. The position of S. hardangeri on the tree suggested that it uses another type of definitive host than the other Sarcocystis species in this clade. Considering the geographical distribution and infection intensity...

  7. A Maximum Parsimony Model to Reconstruct Phylogenetic Network in Honey Bee Evolution

    OpenAIRE

    Usha Chouhan; K. R. Pardasani

    2007-01-01

    Phylogenies ; The evolutionary histories of groups of species are one of the most widely used tools throughout the life sciences, as well as objects of research with in systematic, evolutionary biology. In every phylogenetic analysis reconstruction produces trees. These trees represent the evolutionary histories of many groups of organisms, bacteria due to horizontal gene transfer and plants due to process of hybridization. The process of gene transfer in bacteria and hyb...

  8. A Practical Algorithm for Reconstructing Level-1 Phylogenetic Networks

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    K.T. Huber; L.J.J. van Iersel (Leo); S.M. Kelk (Steven); R. Suchecki

    2010-01-01

    htmlabstractRecently much attention has been devoted to the construction of phylogenetic networks which generalize phylogenetic trees in order to accommodate complex evolutionary processes. Here we present an efficient, practical algorithm for reconstructing level-1 phylogenetic networks - a type of

  9. A practical algorithm for reconstructing level-1 phylogenetic networks

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Huber, K.T.; Iersel, van L.J.J.; Kelk, S.M.; Suchecki, R.

    2011-01-01

    Recently, much attention has been devoted to the construction of phylogenetic networks which generalize phylogenetic trees in order to accommodate complex evolutionary processes. Here, we present an efficient, practical algorithm for reconstructing level-1 phylogenetic networks-a type of network

  10. Transhydrogenase promotes the robustness and evolvability of E. coli deficient in NADPH production.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hsin-Hung Chou

    Full Text Available Metabolic networks revolve around few metabolites recognized by diverse enzymes and involved in myriad reactions. Though hub metabolites are considered as stepping stones to facilitate the evolutionary expansion of biochemical pathways, changes in their production or consumption often impair cellular physiology through their system-wide connections. How does metabolism endure perturbations brought immediately by pathway modification and restore hub homeostasis in the long run? To address this question we studied laboratory evolution of pathway-engineered Escherichia coli that underproduces the redox cofactor NADPH on glucose. Literature suggests multiple possibilities to restore NADPH homeostasis. Surprisingly, genetic dissection of isolates from our twelve evolved populations revealed merely two solutions: (1 modulating the expression of membrane-bound transhydrogenase (mTH in every population; (2 simultaneously consuming glucose with acetate, an unfavored byproduct normally excreted during glucose catabolism, in two subpopulations. Notably, mTH displays broad phylogenetic distribution and has also played a predominant role in laboratory evolution of Methylobacterium extorquens deficient in NADPH production. Convergent evolution of two phylogenetically and metabolically distinct species suggests mTH as a conserved buffering mechanism that promotes the robustness and evolvability of metabolism. Moreover, adaptive diversification via evolving dual substrate consumption highlights the flexibility of physiological systems to exploit ecological opportunities.

  11. Transhydrogenase Promotes the Robustness and Evolvability of E. coli Deficient in NADPH Production

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chou, Hsin-Hung; Marx, Christopher J.; Sauer, Uwe

    2015-01-01

    Metabolic networks revolve around few metabolites recognized by diverse enzymes and involved in myriad reactions. Though hub metabolites are considered as stepping stones to facilitate the evolutionary expansion of biochemical pathways, changes in their production or consumption often impair cellular physiology through their system-wide connections. How does metabolism endure perturbations brought immediately by pathway modification and restore hub homeostasis in the long run? To address this question we studied laboratory evolution of pathway-engineered Escherichia coli that underproduces the redox cofactor NADPH on glucose. Literature suggests multiple possibilities to restore NADPH homeostasis. Surprisingly, genetic dissection of isolates from our twelve evolved populations revealed merely two solutions: (1) modulating the expression of membrane-bound transhydrogenase (mTH) in every population; (2) simultaneously consuming glucose with acetate, an unfavored byproduct normally excreted during glucose catabolism, in two subpopulations. Notably, mTH displays broad phylogenetic distribution and has also played a predominant role in laboratory evolution of Methylobacterium extorquens deficient in NADPH production. Convergent evolution of two phylogenetically and metabolically distinct species suggests mTH as a conserved buffering mechanism that promotes the robustness and evolvability of metabolism. Moreover, adaptive diversification via evolving dual substrate consumption highlights the flexibility of physiological systems to exploit ecological opportunities. PMID:25715029

  12. Folding and unfolding phylogenetic trees and networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huber, Katharina T; Moulton, Vincent; Steel, Mike; Wu, Taoyang

    2016-12-01

    Phylogenetic networks are rooted, labelled directed acyclic graphswhich are commonly used to represent reticulate evolution. There is a close relationship between phylogenetic networks and multi-labelled trees (MUL-trees). Indeed, any phylogenetic network N can be "unfolded" to obtain a MUL-tree U(N) and, conversely, a MUL-tree T can in certain circumstances be "folded" to obtain aphylogenetic network F(T) that exhibits T. In this paper, we study properties of the operations U and F in more detail. In particular, we introduce the class of stable networks, phylogenetic networks N for which F(U(N)) is isomorphic to N, characterise such networks, and show that they are related to the well-known class of tree-sibling networks. We also explore how the concept of displaying a tree in a network N can be related to displaying the tree in the MUL-tree U(N). To do this, we develop aphylogenetic analogue of graph fibrations. This allows us to view U(N) as the analogue of the universal cover of a digraph, and to establish a close connection between displaying trees in U(N) and reconciling phylogenetic trees with networks.

  13. Topological variation in single-gene phylogenetic trees

    OpenAIRE

    Castresana, Jose

    2007-01-01

    A recent large-scale phylogenomic study has shown the great degree of topological variation that can be found among eukaryotic phylogenetic trees constructed from single genes, highlighting the problems that can be associated with gene sampling in phylogenetic studies.

  14. Phylogenetic relationships within the cyst-forming nematodes (Nematoda, Heteroderidae) based on analysis of sequences from the ITS regions of ribosomal DNA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Subbotin, S A; Vierstraete, A; De Ley, P; Rowe, J; Waeyenberge, L; Moens, M; Vanfleteren, J R

    2001-10-01

    The ITS1, ITS2, and 5.8S gene sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA from 40 taxa of the family Heteroderidae (including the genera Afenestrata, Cactodera, Heterodera, Globodera, Punctodera, Meloidodera, Cryphodera, and Thecavermiculatus) were sequenced and analyzed. The ITS regions displayed high levels of sequence divergence within Heteroderinae and compared to outgroup taxa. Unlike recent findings in root knot nematodes, ITS sequence polymorphism does not appear to complicate phylogenetic analysis of cyst nematodes. Phylogenetic analyses with maximum-parsimony, minimum-evolution, and maximum-likelihood methods were performed with a range of computer alignments, including elision and culled alignments. All multiple alignments and phylogenetic methods yielded similar basic structure for phylogenetic relationships of Heteroderidae. The cyst-forming nematodes are represented by six main clades corresponding to morphological characters and host specialization, with certain clades assuming different positions depending on alignment procedure and/or method of phylogenetic inference. Hypotheses of monophyly of Punctoderinae and Heteroderinae are, respectively, strongly and moderately supported by the ITS data across most alignments. Close relationships were revealed between the Avenae and the Sacchari groups and between the Humuli group and the species H. salixophila within Heteroderinae. The Goettingiana group occupies a basal position within this subfamily. The validity of the genera Afenestrata and Bidera was tested and is discussed based on molecular data. We conclude that ITS sequence data are appropriate for studies of relationships within the different species groups and less so for recovery of more ancient speciations within Heteroderidae. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

  15. u-CARE: user-friendly Comprehensive Antibiotic resistance Repository of Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saha, Saurav B; Uttam, Vishwas; Verma, Vivek

    2015-08-01

    Despite medical advancements, Escherichia coli-associated infections remain a major public health concern and although an abundant information about E. coli and its antibiotic resistance mechanisms is available, no effective tool exists that integrates gene and genomic data in context to drug resistance, thus raising a need to develop a repository that facilitates integration and assimilation of factors governing drug resistance in E. coli. User-friendly Comprehensive Antibiotic resistance Repository of Escherichia coli (u-CARE) is a manually curated catalogue of 52 antibiotics with reported resistance, 107 genes, transcription factors and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) involved in multiple drug resistance of this pathogen. Each gene page provides detailed information about its resistance mechanisms, while antibiotic page consists of summary, chemical description and structural descriptors with links to external public databases like GO, CDD, DEG, Ecocyc, KEGG, Drug Bank, PubChem and UniProt. Moreover, the database integrates this reductive information to holistic data such as strain-specific and segment-specific pathogenic islands and operons. In addition, the database offers rich user interface for the visualisation and retrieval of information using various search criteria such as sequence, keyword, image and class search. u-CARE is aimed to cater to the needs of researchers working in the field of antimicrobial drug resistance with minimal knowledge of bioinformatics. This database is also intended as a guide book to medical practitioners to avoid use of antibiotics against which resistance has already been reported in E. coli. The database is available from: http://www.e-bioinformatics.net/ucare. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  16. Analysis of whole genome sequencing for the Escherichia coli O157:H7 typing phages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cowley, Lauren A; Beckett, Stephen J; Chase-Topping, Margo; Perry, Neil; Dallman, Tim J; Gally, David L; Jenkins, Claire

    2015-04-08

    Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli O157 can cause severe bloody diarrhea and haemolytic uraemic syndrome. Phage typing of E. coli O157 facilitates public health surveillance and outbreak investigations, certain phage types are more likely to occupy specific niches and are associated with specific age groups and disease severity. The aim of this study was to analyse the genome sequences of 16 (fourteen T4 and two T7) E. coli O157 typing phages and to determine the genes responsible for the subtle differences in phage type profiles. The typing phages were sequenced using paired-end Illumina sequencing at The Genome Analysis Centre and the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency and bioinformatics programs including Velvet, Brig and Easyfig were used to analyse them. A two-way Euclidian cluster analysis highlighted the associations between groups of phage types and typing phages. The analysis showed that the T7 typing phages (9 and 10) differed by only three genes and that the T4 typing phages formed three distinct groups of similar genomic sequences: Group 1 (1, 8, 11, 12 and 15, 16), Group 2 (3, 6, 7 and 13) and Group 3 (2, 4, 5 and 14). The E. coli O157 phage typing scheme exhibited a significantly modular network linked to the genetic similarity of each group showing that these groups are specialised to infect a subset of phage types. Sequencing the typing phage has enabled us to identify the variable genes within each group and to determine how this corresponds to changes in phage type.

  17. Molecular evolution of ependymin and the phylogenetic resolution of early divergences among euteleost fishes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ortí, G; Meyer, A

    1996-04-01

    The rate and pattern of DNA evolution of ependymin, a single-copy gene coding for a highly expressed glycoprotein in the brain matrix of teleost fishes, is characterized and its phylogenetic utility for fish systematics is assessed. DNA sequences were determined from catfish, electric fish, and characiforms and compared with published ependymin sequences from cyprinids, salmon, pike, and herring. Among these groups, ependymin amino acid sequences were highly divergent (up to 60% sequence difference), but had surprisingly similar hydropathy profiles and invariant glycosylation sites, suggesting that functional properties of the proteins are conserved. Comparison of base composition at third codon positions and introns revealed AT-rich introns and GC-rich third codon positions, suggesting that the biased codon usage observed might not be due to mutational bias. Phylogenetic information content of third codon positions was surprisingly high and sufficient to recover the most basal nodes of the tree, in spite of the observation that pairwise distances (at third codon positions) were well above the presumed saturation level. This finding can be explained by the high proportion of phylogenetically informative nonsynonymous changes at third codon positions among these highly divergent proteins. Ependymin DNA sequences have established the first molecular evidence for the monophyly of a group containing salmonids and esociforms. In addition, ependymin suggests a sister group relationship of electric fish (Gymnotiformes) and Characiformes, constituting a significant departure from currently accepted classifications. However, relationships among characiform lineages were not completely resolved by ependymin sequences in spite of seemingly appropriate levels of variation among taxa and considerably low levels of homoplasy in the data (consistency index = 0.7). If the diversification of Characiformes took place in an "explosive" manner, over a relatively short period of time

  18. galaxieEST: addressing EST identity through automated phylogenetic analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nilsson, R Henrik; Rajashekar, Balaji; Larsson, Karl-Henrik; Ursing, Björn M

    2004-07-05

    Research involving expressed sequence tags (ESTs) is intricately coupled to the existence of large, well-annotated sequence repositories. Comparatively complete and satisfactory annotated public sequence libraries are, however, available only for a limited range of organisms, rendering the absence of sequences and gene structure information a tangible problem for those working with taxa lacking an EST or genome sequencing project. Paralogous genes belonging to the same gene family but distinguished by derived characteristics are particularly prone to misidentification and erroneous annotation; high but incomplete levels of sequence similarity are typically difficult to interpret and have formed the basis of many unsubstantiated assumptions of orthology. In these cases, a phylogenetic study of the query sequence together with the most similar sequences in the database may be of great value to the identification process. In order to facilitate this laborious procedure, a project to employ automated phylogenetic analysis in the identification of ESTs was initiated. galaxieEST is an open source Perl-CGI script package designed to complement traditional similarity-based identification of EST sequences through employment of automated phylogenetic analysis. It uses a series of BLAST runs as a sieve to retrieve nucleotide and protein sequences for inclusion in neighbour joining and parsimony analyses; the output includes the BLAST output, the results of the phylogenetic analyses, and the corresponding multiple alignments. galaxieEST is available as an on-line web service for identification of fungal ESTs and for download / local installation for use with any organism group at http://galaxie.cgb.ki.se/galaxieEST.html. By addressing sequence relatedness in addition to similarity, galaxieEST provides an integrative view on EST origin and identity, which may prove particularly useful in cases where similarity searches return one or more pertinent, but not full, matches and

  19. The complete mitochondrial genome of Sesarmops sinensis reveals gene rearrangements and phylogenetic relationships in Brachyura.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Bo-Ping; Xin, Zhao-Zhe; Liu, Yu; Zhang, Dai-Zhen; Wang, Zheng-Fei; Zhang, Hua-Bin; Chai, Xin-Yue; Zhou, Chun-Lin; Liu, Qiu-Ning

    2017-01-01

    Mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) is very important to understand molecular evolution and phylogenetics. Herein, in this study, the complete mitogenome of Sesarmops sinensis was reported. The mitogenome was 15,905 bp in size, and contained 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and a control region (CR). The AT skew and the GC skew are both negative in the mitogenomes of S. sinensis. The nucleotide composition of the S. sinensis mitogenome was also biased toward A + T nucleotides (75.7%). All tRNA genes displayed a typical mitochondrial tRNA cloverleaf structure, except for the trnS1 gene, which lacked a dihydroxyuridine arm. S. sinensis exhibits a novel rearrangement compared with the Pancrustacean ground pattern and other Brachyura species. Based on the 13 PCGs, the phylogenetic analysis showed that S. sinensis and Sesarma neglectum were clustered on one branch with high nodal support values, indicating that S. sinensis and S. neglectum have a sister group relationship. The group (S. sinensis + S. neglectum) was sister to (Parasesarmops tripectinis + Metopaulias depressus), suggesting that S. sinensis belongs to Grapsoidea, Sesarmidae. Phylogenetic trees based on amino acid sequences and nucleotide sequences of mitochondrial 13 PCGs using BI and ML respectively indicate that section Eubrachyura consists of four groups clearly. The resulting phylogeny supports the establishment of a separate subsection Potamoida. These four groups correspond to four subsections of Raninoida, Heterotremata, Potamoida, and Thoracotremata.

  20. Whole genome sequence phylogenetic analysis of four Mexican rabies viruses isolated from cattle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bárcenas-Reyes, I; Loza-Rubio, E; Cantó-Alarcón, G J; Luna-Cozar, J; Enríquez-Vázquez, A; Barrón-Rodríguez, R J; Milián-Suazo, F

    2017-08-01

    Phylogenetic analysis of the rabies virus in molecular epidemiology has been traditionally performed on partial sequences of the genome, such as the N, G, and P genes; however, that approach raises concerns about the discriminatory power compared to whole genome sequencing. In this study we characterized four strains of the rabies virus isolated from cattle in Querétaro, Mexico by comparing the whole genome sequence to that of strains from the American, European and Asian continents. Four cattle brain samples positive to rabies and characterized as AgV11, genotype 1, were used in the study. A cDNA sequence was generated by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) using oligo dT. cDNA samples were sequenced in an Illumina NextSeq 500 platform. The phylogenetic analysis was performed with MEGA 6.0. Minimum evolution phylogenetic trees were constructed with the Neighbor-Joining method and bootstrapped with 1000 replicates. Three large and seven small clusters were formed with the 26 sequences used. The largest cluster grouped strains from different species in South America: Brazil, and the French Guyana. The second cluster grouped five strains from Mexico. A Mexican strain reported in a different study was highly related to our four strains, suggesting common source of infection. The phylogenetic analysis shows that the type of host is different for the different regions in the American Continent; rabies is more related to bats. It was concluded that the rabies virus in central Mexico is genetically stable and that it is transmitted by the vampire bat Desmodus rotundus. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Ixodes ricinus tick lipocalins: identification, cloning, phylogenetic analysis and biochemical characterization.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jérôme Beaufays

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: During their blood meal, ticks secrete a wide variety of proteins that interfere with their host's defense mechanisms. Among these proteins, lipocalins play a major role in the modulation of the inflammatory response. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Screening a cDNA library in association with RT-PCR and RACE methodologies allowed us to identify 14 new lipocalin genes in the salivary glands of the Ixodes ricinus hard tick. A computational in-depth structural analysis confirmed that LIRs belong to the lipocalin family. These proteins were called LIR for "Lipocalin from I. ricinus" and numbered from 1 to 14 (LIR1 to LIR14. According to their percentage identity/similarity, LIR proteins may be assigned to 6 distinct phylogenetic groups. The mature proteins have calculated pM and pI varying from 21.8 kDa to 37.2 kDa and from 4.45 to 9.57 respectively. In a western blot analysis, all recombinant LIRs appeared as a series of thin bands at 50-70 kDa, suggesting extensive glycosylation, which was experimentally confirmed by treatment with N-glycosidase F. In addition, the in vivo expression analysis of LIRs in I. ricinus, examined by RT-PCR, showed homogeneous expression profiles for certain phylogenetic groups and relatively heterogeneous profiles for other groups. Finally, we demonstrated that LIR6 codes for a protein that specifically binds leukotriene B4. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This work confirms that, regarding their biochemical properties, expression profile, and sequence signature, lipocalins in Ixodes hard tick genus, and more specifically in the Ixodes ricinus species, are segregated into distinct phylogenetic groups suggesting potential distinct function. This was particularly demonstrated by the ability of LIR6 to scavenge leukotriene B4. The other LIRs did not bind any of the ligands tested, such as 5-hydroxytryptamine, ADP, norepinephrine, platelet activating factor, prostaglandins D2 and E2, and finally leukotrienes B4 and C

  2. An evaluation of phylogenetic informativeness profiles and the molecular phylogeny of diplazontinae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klopfstein, Seraina; Kropf, Christian; Quicke, Donald L J

    2010-03-01

    How to quantify the phylogenetic information content of a data set is a longstanding question in phylogenetics, influencing both the assessment of data quality in completed studies and the planning of future phylogenetic projects. Recently, a method has been developed that profiles the phylogenetic informativeness (PI) of a data set through time by linking its site-specific rates of change to its power to resolve relationships at different timescales. Here, we evaluate the performance of this method in the case of 2 standard genetic markers for phylogenetic reconstruction, 28S ribosomal RNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) mitochondrial DNA, with maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian analyses of relationships within a group of parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae, Diplazontinae). Retrieving PI profiles of the 2 genes from our own and from 3 additional data sets, we find that the method repeatedly overestimates the performance of the more quickly evolving CO1 compared with 28S. We explore possible reasons for this bias, including phylogenetic uncertainty, violation of the molecular clock assumption, model misspecification, and nonstationary nucleotide composition. As none of these provides a sufficient explanation of the observed discrepancy, we use simulated data sets, based on an idealized setting, to show that the optimum evolutionary rate decreases with increasing number of taxa. We suggest that this relationship could explain why the formula derived from the 4-taxon case overrates the performance of higher versus lower rates of evolution in our case and that caution should be taken when the method is applied to data sets including more than 4 taxa.

  3. Structure–function relations in the NTPase domain of the antiviral tRNA ribotoxin Escherichia coli PrrC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meineke, Birthe; Shuman, Stewart

    2012-01-01

    Breakage of tRNA by Escherichia coli anticodon nuclease PrrC (EcoPrrC) underlies a host antiviral response to phage T4 infection. Expression of EcoPrrC is cytocidal in yeast, signifying that PrrC ribotoxicity crosses phylogenetic domain boundaries. EcoPrrC consists of an N-terminal NTPase module that resembles ABC transporters and a C-terminal nuclease module that is sui generis. PrrC homologs are prevalent in many other bacteria. Here we report that Haemophilus influenzae PrrC is toxic in E. coli and yeast. To illuminate structure–activity relations, we conducted a new round of mutational analysis of EcoPrrC guided by primary structure conservation among toxic PrrC homologs. We indentify 17 candidate active site residues in the NTPase module that are essential for toxicity in yeast when EcoPrrC is expressed at high gene dosage. Their functions could be educed by integrating mutational data with the atomic structure of the transition-state complex of a homologous ABC protein.

  4. Structure-function relations in the NTPase domain of the antiviral tRNA ribotoxin Escherichia coli PrrC

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Meineke, Birthe; Shuman, Stewart, E-mail: s-shuman@ski.mskcc.org

    2012-06-05

    Breakage of tRNA by Escherichia coli anticodon nuclease PrrC (EcoPrrC) underlies a host antiviral response to phage T4 infection. Expression of EcoPrrC is cytocidal in yeast, signifying that PrrC ribotoxicity crosses phylogenetic domain boundaries. EcoPrrC consists of an N-terminal NTPase module that resembles ABC transporters and a C-terminal nuclease module that is sui generis. PrrC homologs are prevalent in many other bacteria. Here we report that Haemophilus influenzae PrrC is toxic in E. coli and yeast. To illuminate structure-activity relations, we conducted a new round of mutational analysis of EcoPrrC guided by primary structure conservation among toxic PrrC homologs. We indentify 17 candidate active site residues in the NTPase module that are essential for toxicity in yeast when EcoPrrC is expressed at high gene dosage. Their functions could be educed by integrating mutational data with the atomic structure of the transition-state complex of a homologous ABC protein.

  5. Extended molecular phylogenetics and revised systematics of Malagasy scincine lizards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erens, Jesse; Miralles, Aurélien; Glaw, Frank; Chatrou, Lars W; Vences, Miguel

    2017-02-01

    Among the endemic biota of Madagascar, skinks are a diverse radiation of lizards that exhibit a striking ecomorphological variation, and could provide an interesting system to study body-form evolution in squamate reptiles. We provide a new phylogenetic hypothesis for Malagasy skinks of the subfamily Scincinae based on an extended molecular dataset comprising 8060bp from three mitochondrial and nine nuclear loci. Our analysis also increases taxon sampling of the genus Amphiglossus by including 16 out of 25 nominal species. Additionally, we examined whether the molecular phylogenetic patterns coincide with morphological differentiation in the species currently assigned to this genus. Various methods of inference recover a mostly strongly supported phylogeny with three main clades of Amphiglossus. However, relationships among these three clades and the limb-reduced genera Grandidierina, Voeltzkowia and Pygomeles remain uncertain. Supported by a variety of morphological differences (predominantly related to the degree of body elongation), but considering the remaining phylogenetic uncertainty, we propose a redefinition of Amphiglossus into three different genera (Amphiglossus sensu stricto, Flexiseps new genus, and Brachyseps new genus) to remove the non-monophyly of Amphiglossus sensu lato and to facilitate future studies on this fascinating group of lizards. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. PhyDesign: an online application for profiling phylogenetic informativeness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Townsend Jeffrey P

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The rapid increase in number of sequenced genomes for species across of the tree of life is revealing a diverse suite of orthologous genes that could potentially be employed to inform molecular phylogenetic studies that encompass broader taxonomic sampling. Optimal usage of this diversity of loci requires user-friendly tools to facilitate widespread cost-effective locus prioritization for phylogenetic sampling. The Townsend (2007 phylogenetic informativeness provides a unique empirical metric for guiding marker selection. However, no software or automated methodology to evaluate sequence alignments and estimate the phylogenetic informativeness metric has been available. Results Here, we present PhyDesign, a platform-independent online application that implements the Townsend (2007 phylogenetic informativeness analysis, providing a quantitative prediction of the utility of loci to solve specific phylogenetic questions. An easy-to-use interface facilitates uploading of alignments and ultrametric trees to calculate and depict profiles of informativeness over specified time ranges, and provides rankings of locus prioritization for epochs of interest. Conclusions By providing these profiles, PhyDesign facilitates locus prioritization increasing the efficiency of sequencing for phylogenetic purposes compared to traditional studies with more laborious and low capacity screening methods, as well as increasing the accuracy of phylogenetic studies. Together with a manual and sample files, the application is freely accessible at http://phydesign.townsend.yale.edu.

  7. Specific selection for virulent urinary tract infectious Escherichia coli strains during catheter-associated biofilm formation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ferrieres, Lionel; Hancock, Viktoria; Klemm, Per

    2007-01-01

    microorganisms can attach. Urinary tract infectious (UTI) Escherichia coli range in pathogenicity and the damage they cause - from benign asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU) strains, which inflict no or few problems to the host, to uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) strains, which are virulent and often cause severe...... for and promote biofilm formation of the most virulent group of UTI E. coli strains, hardly a desirable situation for the catheterized patient....

  8. High Prevalence of CTX-M-15-Type ESBL-Producing E. coli from Migratory Avian Species in Pakistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohsin, Mashkoor; Raza, Shahbaz; Schaufler, Katharina; Roschanski, Nicole; Sarwar, Fatima; Semmler, Torsten; Schierack, Peter; Guenther, Sebastian

    2017-01-01

    The increased presence of clinically relevant multidrug resistant bacteria in natural environments is an emerging challenge for global health care. Little is known regarding the occurrence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing Escherichia coli (ESBL- E. coli ) from environmental sentinels in Pakistan. The goal of the current study was to gain insights into the prevalence and phylogenetic relationships of ESBL- E. coli recovered from wild birds in Pakistan during winter migration. After initial screening of fecal samples on selective chromogenic agar, ESBL- E.coli were analyzed phenotypically using the Vitek-2 automated system. Genotypic characterization was performed using whole genome sequencing (WGS) followed by an in-depth in silico analysis. Of 150 birds screened, 26 (17.3%) were fecal carriers of ESBL- E. coli . Of these, 88.4% isolates exhibited multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotypes. Resistance to cefotaxime, ceftazidime, ampicillin, doxycycline, tetracycline and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (CTX-CAZ-AM-DC-TE-SXT) represented the most common pattern of MDR (76.9%). WGS data analysis found bla CTX-M-15 as the predominant ESBL genotype (92.3%). Other genes encoding resistance to sulfonamides ( sul1/sul2/sul3 ), aminoglycosides ( strA, strB, aadA1, aadA2, aadA5, aac(3)-IId-like, aac(3)-IVa-like and aph(4)-Ia) , trimethoprim (dfrA14 or dfrA17) , tetracyclines [ tet(A)/tet(B) ], and fluoroquinolones ( qnr S1) were detected commonly, often encoded on IncF-type plasmids (76.9%). ESBL- E. coli were assigned to 17 different sequence types (STs) of which ST10 and ST7097 (4 isolates each) were the most abundant followed by ST4720, ST93, and ST1139 (2 isolates each). Core-genome phylogeny of the isolates found low numbers (0-29) of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in isolates belonged to ST7097 originated from two different locations (Chashma barrage and Rasul barrage). Similar trends were found among isolates belong to ST1139. In addition, WGS

  9. The relationship between phylogenetic group and distribution of virulence genes hlyA, iroN, iucD, fimH in Escherichia coli isolated from female genital tract among women attending Gynecology clinics in Zabol-Iran by Multiplex-PCR.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hossien alli Abdi

    2014-03-01

    Conclusion: This results show that the iroN, iucD, and fimH genes were the most virulent genes of E. coli isolates obtained from patients with uro-genital tract infection. These findings can be valuable in etiology of cervico-vaginal infections (CVIs, CVI administration and management and success of treatment strategies.

  10. Predicting rates of interspecific interaction from phylogenetic trees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nuismer, Scott L; Harmon, Luke J

    2015-01-01

    Integrating phylogenetic information can potentially improve our ability to explain species' traits, patterns of community assembly, the network structure of communities, and ecosystem function. In this study, we use mathematical models to explore the ecological and evolutionary factors that modulate the explanatory power of phylogenetic information for communities of species that interact within a single trophic level. We find that phylogenetic relationships among species can influence trait evolution and rates of interaction among species, but only under particular models of species interaction. For example, when interactions within communities are mediated by a mechanism of phenotype matching, phylogenetic trees make specific predictions about trait evolution and rates of interaction. In contrast, if interactions within a community depend on a mechanism of phenotype differences, phylogenetic information has little, if any, predictive power for trait evolution and interaction rate. Together, these results make clear and testable predictions for when and how evolutionary history is expected to influence contemporary rates of species interaction. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

  11. Phylogenetic Structure of Foliar Spectral Traits in Tropical Forest Canopies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kelly M. McManus

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available The Spectranomics approach to tropical forest remote sensing has established a link between foliar reflectance spectra and the phylogenetic composition of tropical canopy tree communities vis-à-vis the taxonomic organization of biochemical trait variation. However, a direct relationship between phylogenetic affiliation and foliar reflectance spectra of species has not been established. We sought to develop this relationship by quantifying the extent to which underlying patterns of phylogenetic structure drive interspecific variation among foliar reflectance spectra within three Neotropical canopy tree communities with varying levels of soil fertility. We interpreted the resulting spectral patterns of phylogenetic signal in the context of foliar biochemical traits that may contribute to the spectral-phylogenetic link. We utilized a multi-model ensemble to elucidate trait-spectral relationships, and quantified phylogenetic signal for spectral wavelengths and traits using Pagel’s lambda statistic. Foliar reflectance spectra showed evidence of phylogenetic influence primarily within the visible and shortwave infrared spectral regions. These regions were also selected by the multi-model ensemble as those most important to the quantitative prediction of several foliar biochemical traits. Patterns of phylogenetic organization of spectra and traits varied across sites and with soil fertility, indicative of the complex interactions between the environmental and phylogenetic controls underlying patterns of biodiversity.

  12. Are Ichthyosporea animals or fungi? Bayesian phylogenetic analysis of elongation factor 1alpha of Ichthyophonus irregularis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ragan, Mark A; Murphy, Colleen A; Rand, Thomas G

    2003-12-01

    Ichthyosporea is a recently recognized group of morphologically simple eukaryotes, many of which cause disease in aquatic organisms. Ribosomal RNA sequence analyses place Ichthyosporea near the divergence of the animal and fungal lineages, but do not allow resolution of its exact phylogenetic position. Some of the best evidence for a specific grouping of animals and fungi (Opisthokonta) has come from elongation factor 1alpha, not only phylogenetic analysis of sequences but also the presence or absence of short insertions and deletions. We sequenced the EF-1alpha gene from the ichthyosporean parasite Ichthyophonus irregularis and determined its phylogenetic position using neighbor-joining, parsimony and Bayesian methods. We also sequenced EF-1alpha genes from four chytrids to provide broader representation within fungi. Sequence analyses and the presence of a characteristic 12 amino acid insertion strongly indicate that I. irregularis is a member of Opisthokonta, but do not resolve whether I. irregularis is a specific relative of animals or of fungi. However, the EF-1alpha of I. irregularis exhibits a two amino acid deletion heretofore reported only among fungi.

  13. Phylogenetic relationships among vietnamese cocoa accessions using a non-coding region of the chloroplast dna

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ha, L.T.V.; Dung, T.N.; Phuoc, P.H.D.

    2017-01-01

    Cocoa cultivation has increased in tropical areas around the world, including Vietnam, due to the high demand of cocoa beans for chocolate production. The genetic diversity of cocoa genotypes is recognized to be complex, however, their phylogenetic relationships need to be clarified. The present study aimed to classify the cocoa genotypes, that are imported and cultivated in Vietnam, based on a chloroplast DNA region. Sixty-three Vietnamese Cocoa accessions were collected from different regions in Southern Vietnam. Their phylogenetic relationships were identified using the universal primers c-B49317 and d-A49855 from the chloroplast DNA region. The sequences were situated in the trnL intron genes which are identify the closest terrestrial plant species of the chloroplast genome. DNA sequences were determined and subjected to an analysis of the phylogenetic relationship using the maximum evolution method. The genetic analysis showed clustering of 63 cocoa accessions in three groups: the domestically cultivated Trinitario group, the Indigenous cultivars, and the cultivations from Peru. The analyzed sequencing data also illustrated that the TD accessions and CT accessions were related genetically closed. Based on those results the genetic relation between PA and NA accessions was established as the hybrid origins of the TD and CT accessions. Some foreign accessions, including UIT, SCA and IMC accessions were confirmed of their genetic relationship. The present study is the first report of phylogenetic relationships of Vietnamese cocoa collections. The cocoa program in Vietnam has been in development for thirty years. (author)

  14. Influence of hydrological conditions on the Escherichia coli population structure in the water of a creek on a rural watershed

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ratajczak Mehdy

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Escherichia coli is a commensal bacterium of the gastro-intestinal tract of human and vertebrate animals, although the aquatic environment could be a secondary habitat. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of hydrological conditions on the structure of the E. coli population in the water of a creek on a small rural watershed in France composed of pasture and with human occupation. Results It became apparent, after studying the distribution in the four main E. coli phylo-groups (A, B1, B2, D, the presence of the hly (hemolysin gene and the antibiotic resistance pattern, that the E. coli population structure was modified not only by the hydrological conditions (dry versus wet periods, rainfall events, but also by how the watershed was used (presence or absence of cattle. Isolates of the B1 phylo-group devoid of hly and sensitive to antibiotics were particularly abundant during the dry period. During the wet period and the rainfall events, contamination from human sources was predominantly characterized by strains of the A phylo-group, whereas contamination by cattle mainly involved B1 phylo-group strains resistant to antibiotics and exhibiting hly. As E. coli B1 was the main phylo-group isolated in water, the diversity of 112 E. coli B1 isolates was further investigated by studying uidA alleles (beta-D-glucuronidase, the presence of hly, the O-type, and antibiotic resistance. Among the forty epidemiolgical types (ETs identified, five E. coli B1 ETs were more abundant in slightly contaminated water. Conclusions The structure of an E. coli population in water is not stable, but depends on the hydrological conditions and on current use of the land on the watershed. In our study it was the ratio of A to B1 phylo-groups that changed. However, a set of B1 phylo-group isolates seems to be persistent in water, strengthening the hypothesis that they may correspond to specifically adapted strains.

  15. Molecular phylogenetic reconstruction of the endemic Asian salamander family Hynobiidae (Amphibia, Caudata).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weisrock, David W; Macey, J Robert; Matsui, Masafumi; Mulcahy, Daniel G; Papenfuss, Theodore J

    2013-01-01

    The salamander family Hynobiidae contains over 50 species and has been the subject of a number of molecular phylogenetic investigations aimed at reconstructing branches across the entire family. In general, studies using the greatest amount of sequence data have used reduced taxon sampling, while the study with the greatest taxon sampling has used a limited sequence data set. Here, we provide insights into the phylogenetic history of the Hynobiidae using both dense taxon sampling and a large mitochondrial DNA sequence data set. We report exclusive new mitochondrial DNA data of 2566 aligned bases (with 151 excluded sites, of included sites 1157 are variable with 957 parsimony informative). This is sampled from two genic regions encoding a 12S-16S region (the 3' end of 12S rRNA, tRNA(VAI), and the 5' end of 16S rRNA), and a ND2-COI region (ND2, tRNA(Trp), tRNA(Ala), tRNA(Asn), the origin for light strand replication--O(L), tRNA(Cys), tRNAT(Tyr), and the 5' end of COI). Analyses using parsimony, Bayesian, and maximum likelihood optimality criteria produce similar phylogenetic trees, with discordant branches generally receiving low levels of branch support. Monophyly of the Hynobiidae is strongly supported across all analyses, as is the sister relationship and deep divergence between the genus Onychodactylus with all remaining hynobiids. Within this latter grouping our phylogenetic results identify six clades that are relatively divergent from one another, but for which there is minimal support for their phylogenetic placement. This includes the genus Batrachuperus, the genus Hynobius, the genus Pachyhynobius, the genus Salamandrella, a clade containing the genera Ranodon and Paradactylodon, and a clade containing the genera Liua and Pseudohynobius. This latter clade receives low bootstrap support in the parsimony analysis, but is consistent across all three analytical methods. Our results also clarify a number of well-supported relationships within the larger

  16. Escherichia coli H-Genotyping PCR: a Complete and Practical Platform for Molecular H Typing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Banjo, Masaya; Iguchi, Atsushi; Seto, Kazuko; Kikuchi, Taisei; Harada, Tetsuya; Scheutz, Flemming; Iyoda, Sunao

    2018-06-01

    In Escherichia coli , more than 180 O groups and 53 H types have been recognized. The O:H serotyping of E. coli strains is an effective method for identifying strains with pathogenic potential and classifying them into clonal groups. In particular, the serotyping of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) strains provides valuable information to evaluate the routes, sources, and prevalence of agents in outbreak investigations and surveillance. Here, we present a complete and practical PCR-based H-typing system, E. coli H-genotyping PCR, consisting of 10 multiplex PCR kits with 51 single PCR primer pairs. Primers were designed based on a detailed comparative analysis of sequences from all H-antigen (flagellin)-encoding genes, fliC and its homologs. The specificity of this system was confirmed by using all H type reference strains. Additionally, 362 serotyped wild strains were also used to evaluate its practicality. All 277 H-type-identified isolates gave PCR products that corresponded to the results of serological H typing. Moreover, 76 nonmotile and nine untypeable strains could be successfully subtyped into any H type by the PCR system. The E. coli H-genotyping PCR developed here allows broader, rapid, and low-cost subtyping of H types and will assist epidemiological studies as well as surveillance of pathogenic E. coli . Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

  17. Maximizing the phylogenetic diversity of seed banks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griffiths, Kate E; Balding, Sharon T; Dickie, John B; Lewis, Gwilym P; Pearce, Tim R; Grenyer, Richard

    2015-04-01

    Ex situ conservation efforts such as those of zoos, botanical gardens, and seed banks will form a vital complement to in situ conservation actions over the coming decades. It is therefore necessary to pay the same attention to the biological diversity represented in ex situ conservation facilities as is often paid to protected-area networks. Building the phylogenetic diversity of ex situ collections will strengthen our capacity to respond to biodiversity loss. Since 2000, the Millennium Seed Bank Partnership has banked seed from 14% of the world's plant species. We assessed the taxonomic, geographic, and phylogenetic diversity of the Millennium Seed Bank collection of legumes (Leguminosae). We compared the collection with all known legume genera, their known geographic range (at country and regional levels), and a genus-level phylogeny of the legume family constructed for this study. Over half the phylogenetic diversity of legumes at the genus level was represented in the Millennium Seed Bank. However, pragmatic prioritization of species of economic importance and endangerment has led to the banking of a less-than-optimal phylogenetic diversity and prioritization of range-restricted species risks an underdispersed collection. The current state of the phylogenetic diversity of legumes in the Millennium Seed Bank could be substantially improved through the strategic banking of relatively few additional taxa. Our method draws on tools that are widely applied to in situ conservation planning, and it can be used to evaluate and improve the phylogenetic diversity of ex situ collections. © 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.

  18. Integrative taxonomy of ciliates: Assessment of molecular phylogenetic content and morphological homology testing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vďačný, Peter

    2017-10-01

    The very diverse and comparatively complex morphology of ciliates has given rise to numerous taxonomic concepts. However, the information content of the utilized molecular markers has seldom been explored prior to phylogenetic analyses and taxonomic decisions. Likewise, robust testing of morphological homology statements and the apomorphic nature of diagnostic characters of ciliate taxa is rarely carried out. Four phylogenetic techniques that may help address these issues are reviewed. (1) Split spectrum analysis serves to determine the exact number and quality of nucleotide positions supporting individual nodes in phylogenetic trees and to discern long-branch artifacts that cause spurious phylogenies. (2) Network analysis can depict all possible evolutionary trajectories inferable from the dataset and locate and measure the conflict between them. (3) A priori likelihood mapping tests the suitability of data for reconstruction of a well resolved tree, visualizes the tree-likeness of quartets, and assesses the support of an internal branch of a given tree topology. (4) Reconstruction of ancestral morphologies can be applied for analyzing homology and apomorphy statements without circular reasoning. Since these phylogenetic tools are rarely used, their principles and interpretation are introduced and exemplified using various groups of ciliates. Finally, environmental sequencing data are discussed in this light. Copyright © 2017 The Author. Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.

  19. Evaluation of atpB nucleotide sequences for phylogenetic studies of ferns and other pteridophytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolf, P

    1997-10-01

    Inferring basal relationships among vascular plants poses a major challenge to plant systematists. The divergence events that describe these relationships occurred long ago and considerable homoplasy has since accrued for both molecular and morphological characters. A potential solution is to examine phylogenetic analyses from multiple data sets. Here I present a new source of phylogenetic data for ferns and other pteridophytes. I sequenced the chloroplast gene atpB from 23 pteridophyte taxa and used maximum parsimony to infer relationships. A 588-bp region of the gene appeared to contain a statistically significant amount of phylogenetic signal and the resulting trees were largely congruent with similar analyses of nucleotide sequences from rbcL. However, a combined analysis of atpB plus rbcL produced a better resolved tree than did either data set alone. In the shortest trees, leptosporangiate ferns formed a monophyletic group. Also, I detected a well-supported clade of Psilotaceae (Psilotum and Tmesipteris) plus Ophioglossaceae (Ophioglossum and Botrychium). The demonstrated utility of atpB suggests that sequences from this gene should play a role in phylogenetic analyses that incorporate data from chloroplast genes, nuclear genes, morphology, and fossil data.

  20. First phylogenetic analysis of Ehrlichia canis in dogs and ticks from Mexico. Preliminary study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carolina G. Sosa-Gutiérrez

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective. Phylogenetic characterization of Ehrlichia canis in dogs naturally infected and ticks, diagnosed by PCR and sequencing of 16SrRNA gene; compare different isolates found in American countries. Materials and methods. Were collected Blood samples from 139 dogs with suggestive clinical manifestations of this disease and they were infested with ticks; part of 16SrRNA gene was sequenced and aligned, with 17 sequences reported in American countries. Two phylogenetic trees were constructed using the Maximum likelihood method, and Maximum parsimony. Results. They were positive to E. canis 25/139 (18.0% dogs and 29/139 (20.9% ticks. The clinical manifestations presented were fever, fatigue, depression and vomiting. Rhipicephalus sanguineus Dermacentor variabilis and Haemaphysalis leporis-palustris ticks were positive for E. canis. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the sequences of dogs and ticks in Mexico form a third group diverging of sequences from South America and USA. Conclusions. This is the first phylogenetic analysis of E. canis in Mexico. There are differences in the sequences of Mexico with those reported in South America and USA. This research lays the foundation for further study of genetic variability.

  1. Mapping Phylogenetic Trees to Reveal Distinct Patterns of Evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kendall, Michelle; Colijn, Caroline

    2016-10-01

    Evolutionary relationships are frequently described by phylogenetic trees, but a central barrier in many fields is the difficulty of interpreting data containing conflicting phylogenetic signals. We present a metric-based method for comparing trees which extracts distinct alternative evolutionary relationships embedded in data. We demonstrate detection and resolution of phylogenetic uncertainty in a recent study of anole lizards, leading to alternate hypotheses about their evolutionary relationships. We use our approach to compare trees derived from different genes of Ebolavirus and find that the VP30 gene has a distinct phylogenetic signature composed of three alternatives that differ in the deep branching structure. phylogenetics, evolution, tree metrics, genetics, sequencing. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

  2. Phylogenetic analysis of molecular and morphological data highlights uncertainty in the relationships of fossil and living species of Elopomorpha (Actinopterygii: Teleostei).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dornburg, Alex; Friedman, Matt; Near, Thomas J

    2015-08-01

    Elopomorpha is one of the three main clades of living teleost fishes and includes a range of disparate lineages including eels, tarpons, bonefishes, and halosaurs. Elopomorphs were among the first groups of fishes investigated using Hennigian phylogenetic methods and continue to be the object of intense phylogenetic scrutiny due to their economic significance, diversity, and crucial evolutionary status as the sister group of all other teleosts. While portions of the phylogenetic backbone for Elopomorpha are consistent between studies, the relationships among Albula, Pterothrissus, Notacanthiformes, and Anguilliformes remain contentious and difficult to evaluate. This lack of phylogenetic resolution is problematic as fossil lineages are often described and placed taxonomically based on an assumed sister group relationship between Albula and Pterothrissus. In addition, phylogenetic studies using morphological data that sample elopomorph fossil lineages often do not include notacanthiform or anguilliform lineages, potentially introducing a bias toward interpreting fossils as members of the common stem of Pterothrissus and Albula. Here we provide a phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences sampled from multiple nuclear genes that include representative taxa from Albula, Pterothrissus, Notacanthiformes and Anguilliformes. We integrate our molecular dataset with a morphological character matrix that spans both living and fossil elopomorph lineages. Our results reveal substantial uncertainty in the placement of Pterothrissus as well as all sampled fossil lineages, questioning the stability of the taxonomy of fossil Elopomorpha. However, despite topological uncertainty, our integration of fossil lineages into a Bayesian time calibrated framework provides divergence time estimates for the clade that are consistent with previously published age estimates based on the elopomorph fossil record and molecular estimates resulting from traditional node-dating methods. Copyright

  3. Effect of an organic acids based feed additive and enrofloxacin on the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant E. coli in cecum of broilers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roth, Nataliya; Mayrhofer, Sigrid; Gierus, Martin; Weingut, Christine; Schwarz, Christiane; Doupovec, Barbara; Berrios, Roger; Domig, Konrad J

    2017-09-01

    Increasing antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern. Fluoroquinolones are used to treat and prevent poultry diseases worldwide. Fluoroquinolone resistance rates are high in their countries of use. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an acids-based feed additive, as well as fluoroquinolone antibiotics, on the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant E. coli. A total of 480 broiler chickens (Ross 308) were randomly assigned to 3 treatments: a control group receiving a basal diet; a group receiving a feed additive (FA) based on formic acid, acetic acid and propionic acid; and an antibiotic enrofloxacin (AB) group given the same diet, but supplemented with enrofloxacin in water. A pooled fecal sample of one-day-old chicks was collected upon arrival at the experimental farm. On d 17 and d 38 of the trial, cecal samples from each of the 8 pens were taken, and the count of E. coli and antibiotic-resistant E. coli was determined.The results of the present study show a high prevalence of antibiotic-resistant E. coli in one-day-old chicks. Supplementation of the diet with FA and treatment of broilers with AB did not have a significant influence on the total number of E. coli in the cecal content on d 17 and d 38 of the trial. Supplementation with FA contributed to better growth performance and to a significant decrease (P ≤ 0.05) in E. coli resistant to ampicillin and tetracycline compared to the control and AB groups, as well as to a decrease (P ≤ 0.05) in sulfamethoxazole and ciprofloxacin-resistant E. coli compared to the AB group. Treatment with AB increased (P ≤ 0.05) the average daily weight compared to the control group and increased (P ≤ 0.05) the number of E. coli resistant to ciprofloxacin, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline; it also decreased (P ≤ 0.05) the number of E. coli resistant to cefotaxime and extended spectrum beta-lactamase- (ESBL-) producing E. coli in the ceca of broilers. © 2017 Poultry Science

  4. Frequent combination of antimicrobial multiresistance and extraintestinal pathogenicity in Escherichia coli isolates from urban rats (Rattus norvegicus) in Berlin, Germany.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guenther, Sebastian; Bethe, Astrid; Fruth, Angelika; Semmler, Torsten; Ulrich, Rainer G; Wieler, Lothar H; Ewers, Christa

    2012-01-01

    Urban rats present a global public health concern as they are considered a reservoir and vector of zoonotic pathogens, including Escherichia coli. In view of the increasing emergence of antimicrobial resistant E. coli strains and the on-going discussion about environmental reservoirs, we intended to analyse whether urban rats might be a potential source of putatively zoonotic E. coli combining resistance and virulence. For that, we took fecal samples from 87 brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) and tested at least three E. coli colonies from each animal. Thirty two of these E. coli strains were pre-selected from a total of 211 non-duplicate isolates based on their phenotypic resistance to at least three antimicrobial classes, thus fulfilling the definition of multiresistance. As determined by multilocus sequence typing (MLST), these 32 strains belonged to 24 different sequence types (STs), indicating a high phylogenetic diversity. We identified STs, which frequently occur among extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC), such as STs 95, 131, 70, 428, and 127. Also, the detection of a number of typical virulence genes confirmed that the rats tested carried ExPEC-like strains. In particular, the finding of an Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing strain which belongs to a highly virulent, so far mainly human- and avian-restricted ExPEC lineage (ST95), which expresses a serogroup linked with invasive strains (O18:NM:K1), and finally, which produces an ESBL-type frequently identified among human strains (CTX-M-9), pointed towards the important role, urban rats might play in the transmission of multiresistant and virulent E. coli strains. Indeed, using a chicken infection model, this strain showed a high in vivo pathogenicity. Imagining the high numbers of urban rats living worldwide, the way to the transmission of putatively zoonotic, multiresistant, and virulent strains might not be far ahead. The unforeseeable consequences of such an emerging public health

  5. Frequent combination of antimicrobial multiresistance and extraintestinal pathogenicity in Escherichia coli isolates from urban rats (Rattus norvegicus in Berlin, Germany.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sebastian Guenther

    Full Text Available Urban rats present a global public health concern as they are considered a reservoir and vector of zoonotic pathogens, including Escherichia coli. In view of the increasing emergence of antimicrobial resistant E. coli strains and the on-going discussion about environmental reservoirs, we intended to analyse whether urban rats might be a potential source of putatively zoonotic E. coli combining resistance and virulence. For that, we took fecal samples from 87 brown rats (Rattus norvegicus and tested at least three E. coli colonies from each animal. Thirty two of these E. coli strains were pre-selected from a total of 211 non-duplicate isolates based on their phenotypic resistance to at least three antimicrobial classes, thus fulfilling the definition of multiresistance. As determined by multilocus sequence typing (MLST, these 32 strains belonged to 24 different sequence types (STs, indicating a high phylogenetic diversity. We identified STs, which frequently occur among extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC, such as STs 95, 131, 70, 428, and 127. Also, the detection of a number of typical virulence genes confirmed that the rats tested carried ExPEC-like strains. In particular, the finding of an Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL-producing strain which belongs to a highly virulent, so far mainly human- and avian-restricted ExPEC lineage (ST95, which expresses a serogroup linked with invasive strains (O18:NM:K1, and finally, which produces an ESBL-type frequently identified among human strains (CTX-M-9, pointed towards the important role, urban rats might play in the transmission of multiresistant and virulent E. coli strains. Indeed, using a chicken infection model, this strain showed a high in vivo pathogenicity. Imagining the high numbers of urban rats living worldwide, the way to the transmission of putatively zoonotic, multiresistant, and virulent strains might not be far ahead. The unforeseeable consequences of such an emerging public

  6. Molecular Phylogenetics: Mathematical Framework and Unsolved Problems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, Xuhua

    Phylogenetic relationship is essential in dating evolutionary events, reconstructing ancestral genes, predicting sites that are important to natural selection, and, ultimately, understanding genomic evolution. Three categories of phylogenetic methods are currently used: the distance-based, the maximum parsimony, and the maximum likelihood method. Here, I present the mathematical framework of these methods and their rationales, provide computational details for each of them, illustrate analytically and numerically the potential biases inherent in these methods, and outline computational challenges and unresolved problems. This is followed by a brief discussion of the Bayesian approach that has been recently used in molecular phylogenetics.

  7. Phylogenetic and physiological diversity of microorganisms isolated from a deep greenland glacier ice core

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miteva, V. I.; Sheridan, P. P.; Brenchley, J. E.

    2004-01-01

    We studied a sample from the GISP 2 (Greenland Ice Sheet Project) ice core to determine the diversity and survival of microorganisms trapped in the ice at least 120,000 years ago. Previously, we examined the phylogenetic relationships among 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequences in a clone library obtained by PCR amplification from genomic DNA extracted from anaerobic enrichments. Here we report the isolation of nearly 800 aerobic organisms that were grouped by morphology and amplified rDNA restriction analysis patterns to select isolates for further study. The phylogenetic analyses of 56 representative rDNA sequences showed that the isolates belonged to four major phylogenetic groups: the high-G+C gram-positives, low-G+C gram-positives, Proteobacteria, and the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides group. The most abundant and diverse isolates were within the high-G+C gram-positive cluster that had not been represented in the clone library. The Jukes-Cantor evolutionary distance matrix results suggested that at least 7 isolates represent new species within characterized genera and that 49 are different strains of known species. The isolates were further categorized based on the isolation conditions, temperature range for growth, enzyme activity, antibiotic resistance, presence of plasmids, and strain-specific genomic variations. A significant observation with implications for the development of novel and more effective cultivation methods was that preliminary incubation in anaerobic and aerobic liquid prior to plating on agar media greatly increased the recovery of CFU from the ice core sample.

  8. Phylogenetic community structure: temporal variation in fish assemblage

    OpenAIRE

    Santorelli, Sergio; Magnusson, William; Ferreira, Efrem; Caramaschi, Erica; Zuanon, Jansen; Amadio, Sidnéia

    2014-01-01

    Hypotheses about phylogenetic relationships among species allow inferences about the mechanisms that affect species coexistence. Nevertheless, most studies assume that phylogenetic patterns identified are stable over time. We used data on monthly samples of fish from a single lake over 10 years to show that the structure in phylogenetic assemblages varies over time and conclusions depend heavily on the time scale investigated. The data set was organized in guild structures and temporal scales...

  9. Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of Escherichia coli RNase G

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fang, Pengfei; Wang, Jing; Li, Xu; Guo, Min; Xing, Li; Cao, Xu; Zhu, Yi; Gao, Yan; Niu, Liwen; Teng, Maikun

    2009-01-01

    Full-length E. coli RNase G was overexpressed, purified and crystallized. Diffraction data were collected to a resolution of 3.4 Å. The homologous RNases RNase E and RNase G are widely distributed in bacteria and function in many important physiological processes, including mRNA degradation, rRNA maturation and so on. In this study, the crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of RNase G from Escherichia coli is described. Purified recombinant E. coli RNase G, which has 497 amino acids, was crystallized in the cubic space group F432, with unit-cell parameters a = b = c = 219.84 Å. X-ray diffraction data were collected to a resolution of 3.4 Å

  10. Annual Surveillance Summary: Escherichia coli (E. coli) Infections in the Military Health System (MHS), 2015

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-03-01

    Annual Surveillance Summary: Escherichia coli ( E . coli ) Infections in the Military Health System (MHS...or position of the Department of the Navy, Department of Defense, nor the U.S. Government. i i E . coli in the MHS: Annual Summary 2015 Prepared...March 2017 EpiData Center Department NMCPHC-EDC-TR-187-2017 ii ii E . coli in the MHS: Annual Summary 2015 Prepared March 2017 EpiData

  11. Protective effects of indigenous Escherichia coli against a pathogenic E. coli challenge strain in pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vahjen, W; Cuisiniere, T; Zentek, J

    2017-10-13

    To investigate the inhibitory effect of indigenous enterobacteria on pathogenic Escherichia coli, a challenge trial with postweaning pigs was conducted. A pathogenic E. coli strain was administered to all animals and their health was closely monitored thereafter. Faecal samples were taken from three healthy and three diarrhoeic animals. Samples were cultivated on MacConkey agar and isolates were subcultured. A soft agar overlay assay was used to determine the inhibitory activity of the isolates. A total of 1,173 enterobacterial isolates were screened for their ability to inhibit the E. coli challenge strain. Colony forming units of enterobacteria on MacConkey agar were not different between healthy and diarrhoeic animals in the original samples. Furthermore, numbers of isolates per animal were also not significantly different between healthy (482 isolates) and diarrhoeic animals (691 isolates). A total of 43 isolates (3.7%) with inhibitory activity against the pathogenic E. coli challenge strain were detected. All inhibitory isolates were identified as E. coli via MALDI-TOF. The isolates belonged to the phylotypes A, C and E. Many isolates (67.4%) were commensal E. coli without relevant porcine pathogenic factors, but toxin- and fimbrial genes (stx2e, fae, estIb, elt1a, fas, fan) were detected in 14 inhibitory isolates. Healthy animals showed significantly (P=0.003) more inhibitory isolates (36 of 482 isolates; 7.5%) than diseased animals (7 of 691 isolates; 1.0%). There were no significant correlations regarding phylotype or pathogenic factors between healthy and diseased animals. This study has shown that a small proportion of indigenous E. coli is able to inhibit in vitro growth of a pathogenic E. coli strain in pigs. Furthermore, healthy animals possess significantly more inhibitory E. coli strains than diarrhoeic animals. The inhibition of pathogenic E. coli by specific indigenous E. coli strains may be an underlying principle for the containment of pathogenic

  12. The Development of Three Long Universal Nuclear Protein-Coding Locus Markers and Their Application to Osteichthyan Phylogenetics with Nested PCR

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Peng

    2012-01-01

    Background Universal nuclear protein-coding locus (NPCL) markers that are applicable across diverse taxa and show good phylogenetic discrimination have broad applications in molecular phylogenetic studies. For example, RAG1, a representative NPCL marker, has been successfully used to make phylogenetic inferences within all major osteichthyan groups. However, such markers with broad working range and high phylogenetic performance are still scarce. It is necessary to develop more universal NPCL markers comparable to RAG1 for osteichthyan phylogenetics. Methodology/Principal Findings We developed three long universal NPCL markers (>1.6 kb each) based on single-copy nuclear genes (KIAA1239, SACS and TTN) that possess large exons and exhibit the appropriate evolutionary rates. We then compared their phylogenetic utilities with that of the reference marker RAG1 in 47 jawed vertebrate species. In comparison with RAG1, each of the three long universal markers yielded similar topologies and branch supports, all in congruence with the currently accepted osteichthyan phylogeny. To compare their phylogenetic performance visually, we also estimated the phylogenetic informativeness (PI) profile for each of the four long universal NPCL markers. The PI curves indicated that SACS performed best over the whole timescale, while RAG1, KIAA1239 and TTN exhibited similar phylogenetic performances. In addition, we compared the success of nested PCR and standard PCR when amplifying NPCL marker fragments. The amplification success rate and efficiency of the nested PCR were overwhelmingly higher than those of standard PCR. Conclusions/Significance Our work clearly demonstrates the superiority of nested PCR over the conventional PCR in phylogenetic studies and develops three long universal NPCL markers (KIAA1239, SACS and TTN) with the nested PCR strategy. The three markers exhibit high phylogenetic utilities in osteichthyan phylogenetics and can be widely used as pilot genes for

  13. Immuno-pathological studies on broiler chicken experimentally infected with Escherichia coli and supplemented with neem (Azadirachta indica leaf extract

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vikash Sharma

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Aim: The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of neem leaf extract (NLE supplementation on immunological response and pathology of different lymphoid organs in experimentally Escherichia coli challenged broiler chickens. Materials and Methods: For this study, we procured 192-day-old broiler chicks from local hatchery and divided them into Groups A and Group B containing 96 birds each on the first day. Chicks of Group A were supplemented with 10% NLE in water, whereas chicks of Group B were not supplemented with NLE throughout the experiment. At 7th day of age, chicks of Group A were divided into A1 and A2 and Group B into B1 and B2 with 54 and 42 chicks, respectively, and chicks of Groups A1 and B1 were injected with E. coli O78 at 107 colony-forming units/0.5 ml intraperitoneally. Six chicks from each group were sacrificed at 0, 2, 4, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days post infection; blood was collected and thorough post-mortem examination was conducted. Tissue pieces of spleen and bursa of Fabricius were collected in 10% buffered formalin for histopathological examination. Serum was separated for immunological studies. Result: E. coli specific antibody titer was significantly higher in Group A1 in comparison to Group B1. Delayed-type hypersensitivity response against 2,4 dinirochlorobenzene (DNCB antigen was significantly higher in Group A1 as compared to Group B1. Pathological studies revealed that E. coli infection caused depletion of lymphocytes in bursa of Fabricius and spleen. Severity of lesions in Group A1 was significantly lower in comparison to Group B1. Conclusion: 10% NLE supplementation enhanced the humoral as well as cellular immune responses attributed to its immunomodulatory property in experimentally E. coli infected broiler chicken.

  14. Immuno-pathological studies on broiler chicken experimentally infected with Escherichia coli and supplemented with neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf extract.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Vikash; Jakhar, K K; Dahiya, Swati

    2016-07-01

    The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of neem leaf extract (NLE) supplementation on immunological response and pathology of different lymphoid organs in experimentally Escherichia coli challenged broiler chickens. For this study, we procured 192-day-old broiler chicks from local hatchery and divided them into Groups A and Group B containing 96 birds each on the first day. Chicks of Group A were supplemented with 10% NLE in water, whereas chicks of Group B were not supplemented with NLE throughout the experiment. At 7(th) day of age, chicks of Group A were divided into A1 and A2 and Group B into B1 and B2 with 54 and 42 chicks, respectively, and chicks of Groups A1 and B1 were injected with E. coli O78 at 10(7) colony-forming units/0.5 ml intraperitoneally. Six chicks from each group were sacrificed at 0, 2, 4, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days post infection; blood was collected and thorough post-mortem examination was conducted. Tissue pieces of spleen and bursa of Fabricius were collected in 10% buffered formalin for histopathological examination. Serum was separated for immunological studies. E. coli specific antibody titer was significantly higher in Group A1 in comparison to Group B1. Delayed-type hypersensitivity response against 2,4 dinirochlorobenzene (DNCB) antigen was significantly higher in Group A1 as compared to Group B1. Pathological studies revealed that E. coli infection caused depletion of lymphocytes in bursa of Fabricius and spleen. Severity of lesions in Group A1 was significantly lower in comparison to Group B1. 10% NLE supplementation enhanced the humoral as well as cellular immune responses attributed to its immunomodulatory property in experimentally E. coli infected broiler chicken.

  15. [A phylogenetic analysis of plant communities of Teberda Biosphere Reserve].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shulakov, A A; Egorov, A V; Onipchenko, V G

    2016-01-01

    Phylogenetic analysis of communities is based on the comparison of distances on the phylogenetic tree between species of a community under study and those distances in random samples taken out of local flora. It makes it possible to determine to what extent a community composition is formed by more closely related species (i.e., "clustered") or, on the opposite, it is more even and includes species that are less related with each other. The first case is usually interpreted as a result of strong influence caused by abiotic factors, due to which species with similar ecology, a priori more closely related, would remain: In the second case, biotic factors, such as competition, may come to the fore and lead to forming a community out of distant clades due to divergence of their ecological niches: The aim of this' study Was Ad explore the phylogenetic structure in communities of the northwestern Caucasus at two spatial scales - the scale of area from 4 to 100 m2 and the smaller scale within a community. The list of local flora of the alpine belt has been composed using the database of geobotanic descriptions carried out in Teberda Biosphere Reserve at true altitudes exceeding.1800 m. It includes 585 species of flowering plants belonging to 57 families. Basal groups of flowering plants are.not represented in the list. At the scale of communities of three classes, namely Thlaspietea rotundifolii - commumties formed on screes and pebbles, Calluno-Ulicetea - alpine meadow, and Mulgedio-Aconitetea subalpine meadows, have not demonstrated significant distinction of phylogenetic structure. At intra level, for alpine meadows the larger share of closely related species. (clustered community) is detected. Significantly clustered happen to be those communities developing on rocks (class Asplenietea trichomanis) and alpine (class Juncetea trifidi). At the same time, alpine lichen proved to have even phylogenetic structure at the small scale. Alpine (class Salicetea herbaceae) that

  16. Molecular cytogenetic characterisation and phylogenetic analysis of the seven cultivated Vigna species (Fabaceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    She, C-W; Jiang, X-H; Ou, L-J; Liu, J; Long, K-L; Zhang, L-H; Duan, W-T; Zhao, W; Hu, J-C

    2015-01-01

    The genomic organisation of the seven cultivated Vigna species, V. unguiculata, V. subterranea, V. angularis, V. umbellata, V. radiata, V. mungo and V. aconitifolia, was determined using sequential combined PI and DAPI (CPD) staining and dual-colour fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) with 5S and 45S rDNA probes. For phylogenetic analyses, comparative genomic in situ hybridisation (cGISH) onto somatic chromosomes and sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of 45S rDNA were used. Quantitative karyotypes were established using chromosome measurements, fluorochrome bands and rDNA FISH signals. All species had symmetrical karyotypes composed of only metacentric or metacentric and submetacentric chromosomes. Distinct heterochromatin differentiation was revealed by CPD staining and DAPI counterstaining after FISH. The rDNA sites among all species differed in their number, location and size. cGISH of V. umbellata genomic DNA to the chromosomes of all species produced strong signals in all centromeric regions of V. umbellata and V. angularis, weak signals in all pericentromeric regions of V. aconitifolia, and CPD-banded proximal regions of V. mungo var. mungo. Molecular phylogenetic trees showed that V. angularis and V. umbellata were the closest relatives, and V. mungo and V. aconitifolia were relatively closely related; these species formed a group that was separated from another group comprising V. radiata, V. unguiculata ssp. sesquipedalis and V. subterranea. This result was consistent with the phylogenetic relationships inferred from the heterochromatin and cGISH patterns; thus, fluorochrome banding and cGISH are efficient tools for the phylogenetic analysis of Vigna species. © 2014 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

  17. Resolving genetic relationships in manna group of lichens from ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    As in many lichen-forming fungi, species of Aspicilia genus are widely distributed all over the world, but no reports exist about their phylogenetic relations based on molecular biological methods. In the current study the phylogenetic relations of some Aspicilia species mainly manna group of lichens were investigated.

  18. A structural investigation of the capsular antigens of some Klebsiella and E. coli serotypes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parolis, L.A.S.

    1985-11-01

    The work described in this thesis forms part of a program concerned with the study of exocellular capsular polysaccharides of some Enterobacteriaceae. 1 H- and 13 C-n.m.r. spectroscopy have been used in this study. Klebsiella and Escherichia coli are of interest because they are often pathogenic to man; E. coli are commensal bacteria as well as opportunistic pathogens. The bacterial capsule is the first line of defence of the bacterial cell against attack by the host's immunological defences and administered antibiotics, and thus knowledge of its composition and characteristics is of importance in devising ways of combating infection by these organisms. The structure of the capsular polysaccharide has been investigated employing a combination of chemical and spectroscopic methods. Several oligo-saccharides were isolated and characterized by high resolution 1 H-n.m.r. spectroscopy and methylation analysis. The E. coli group of bacteria possesses seventy-four recognized polysaccharide capsules and the structures of approximately twenty percent of these have been reported. The emphasis of this research group is centered on the elucidation of the structures of E. coli capsules. The acidic capsular polysaccharide isolated from E. coli K9 has been investigated using the techniques of methylation analysis periodate oxidation, bacteriophage degradation and n.m.r. spectroscopy. This thesis however represents a transition period in the study of Enterobacteriaceae capsular polysaccharides and so includes the structure elucidation of two Klebsiella polysaccharides, that of the K14 and K68 serotypes, and one E. coli polysaccharide, that of the K9 serotype. Bacteriophage-borne enzyme degradations of Klebsiella K14 and E. coli K9 polysaccharides have been performed and are presented. The thesis also includes a comparative study of the 0-specific side-chains of the lipo-polysaccharides of E. coli 09 and 09a serogroups

  19. ["Long-branch Attraction" artifact in phylogenetic reconstruction].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yi-Wei; Yu, Li; Zhang, Ya-Ping

    2007-06-01

    Phylogenetic reconstruction among various organisms not only helps understand their evolutionary history but also reveal several fundamental evolutionary questions. Understanding of the evolutionary relationships among organisms establishes the foundation for the investigations of other biological disciplines. However, almost all the widely used phylogenetic methods have limitations which fail to eliminate systematic errors effectively, preventing the reconstruction of true organismal relationships. "Long-branch Attraction" (LBA) artifact is one of the most disturbing factors in phylogenetic reconstruction. In this review, the conception and analytic method as well as the avoidance strategy of LBA were summarized. In addition, several typical examples were provided. The approach to avoid and resolve LBA artifact has been discussed.

  20. Quartet-based methods to reconstruct phylogenetic networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Jialiang; Grünewald, Stefan; Xu, Yifei; Wan, Xiu-Feng

    2014-02-20

    Phylogenetic networks are employed to visualize evolutionary relationships among a group of nucleotide sequences, genes or species when reticulate events like hybridization, recombination, reassortant and horizontal gene transfer are believed to be involved. In comparison to traditional distance-based methods, quartet-based methods consider more information in the reconstruction process and thus have the potential to be more accurate. We introduce QuartetSuite, which includes a set of new quartet-based methods, namely QuartetS, QuartetA, and QuartetM, to reconstruct phylogenetic networks from nucleotide sequences. We tested their performances and compared them with other popular methods on two simulated nucleotide sequence data sets: one generated from a tree topology and the other from a complicated evolutionary history containing three reticulate events. We further validated these methods to two real data sets: a bacterial data set consisting of seven concatenated genes of 36 bacterial species and an influenza data set related to recently emerging H7N9 low pathogenic avian influenza viruses in China. QuartetS, QuartetA, and QuartetM have the potential to accurately reconstruct evolutionary scenarios from simple branching trees to complicated networks containing many reticulate events. These methods could provide insights into the understanding of complicated biological evolutionary processes such as bacterial taxonomy and reassortant of influenza viruses.

  1. A Distance Measure for Genome Phylogenetic Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Minh Duc; Allison, Lloyd; Dix, Trevor

    Phylogenetic analyses of species based on single genes or parts of the genomes are often inconsistent because of factors such as variable rates of evolution and horizontal gene transfer. The availability of more and more sequenced genomes allows phylogeny construction from complete genomes that is less sensitive to such inconsistency. For such long sequences, construction methods like maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood are often not possible due to their intensive computational requirement. Another class of tree construction methods, namely distance-based methods, require a measure of distances between any two genomes. Some measures such as evolutionary edit distance of gene order and gene content are computational expensive or do not perform well when the gene content of the organisms are similar. This study presents an information theoretic measure of genetic distances between genomes based on the biological compression algorithm expert model. We demonstrate that our distance measure can be applied to reconstruct the consensus phylogenetic tree of a number of Plasmodium parasites from their genomes, the statistical bias of which would mislead conventional analysis methods. Our approach is also used to successfully construct a plausible evolutionary tree for the γ-Proteobacteria group whose genomes are known to contain many horizontally transferred genes.

  2. Analysis of Acorus calamus chloroplast genome and its phylogenetic implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goremykin, Vadim V; Holland, Barbara; Hirsch-Ernst, Karen I; Hellwig, Frank H

    2005-09-01

    Determining the phylogenetic relationships among the major lines of angiosperms is a long-standing problem, yet the uncertainty as to the phylogenetic affinity of these lines persists. While a number of studies have suggested that the ANITA (Amborella-Nymphaeales-Illiciales-Trimeniales-Aristolochiales) grade is basal within angiosperms, studies of complete chloroplast genome sequences also suggested an alternative tree, wherein the line leading to the grasses branches first among the angiosperms. To improve taxon sampling in the existing chloroplast genome data, we sequenced the chloroplast genome of the monocot Acorus calamus. We generated a concatenated alignment (89,436 positions for 15 taxa), encompassing almost all sequences usable for phylogeny reconstruction within spermatophytes. The data still contain support for both the ANITA-basal and grasses-basal hypotheses. Using simulations we can show that were the ANITA-basal hypothesis true, parsimony (and distance-based methods with many models) would be expected to fail to recover it. The self-evident explanation for this failure appears to be a long-branch attraction (LBA) between the clade of grasses and the out-group. However, this LBA cannot explain the discrepancies observed between tree topology recovered using the maximum likelihood (ML) method and the topologies recovered using the parsimony and distance-based methods when grasses are deleted. Furthermore, the fact that neither maximum parsimony nor distance methods consistently recover the ML tree, when according to the simulations they would be expected to, when the out-group (Pinus) is deleted, suggests that either the generating tree is not correct or the best symmetric model is misspecified (or both). We demonstrate that the tree recovered under ML is extremely sensitive to model specification and that the best symmetric model is misspecified. Hence, we remain agnostic regarding phylogenetic relationships among basal angiosperm lineages.

  3. Microinjection of Escherichia coli UvrA, B, C and D proteins into fibroblasts of xeroderma pigmentosum complementation groups A and C does not result in restoration of UV-induced DNA synthesis.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    J.C.M. Zwetsloot; A.P. Barbeiro; W. Vermeulen (Wim); J.H.J. Hoeijmakers (Jan); C.M.P. Backendorf (Claude)

    1986-01-01

    textabstractThe UV-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) in cultured human fibroblasts of repair-deficient xeroderma pigmentosum complementation groups A and C was assayed after injection of identical activities of either Uvr excinuclease (UvrA, B, C and D) from Escherichia coli or endonuclease V

  4. Phylogenetic relationships and divergence dates of softshell turtles (Testudines: Trionychidae) inferred from complete mitochondrial genomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, H; Liu, J; Xiong, L; Zhang, H; Zhou, H; Yin, H; Jing, W; Li, J; Shi, Q; Wang, Y; Liu, J; Nie, L

    2017-05-01

    The softshell turtles (Trionychidae) are one of the most widely distributed reptile groups in the world, and fossils have been found on all continents except Antarctica. The phylogenetic relationships among members of this group have been previously studied; however, disagreements regarding its taxonomy, its phylogeography and divergence times are still poorly understood as well. Here, we present a comprehensive mitogenomic study of softshell turtles. We sequenced the complete mitochondrial genomes of 10 softshell turtles, in addition to the GenBank sequence of Dogania subplana, Lissemys punctata, Trionyx triunguis, which cover all extant genera within Trionychidae except for Cyclanorbis and Cycloderma. These data were combined with other mitogenomes of turtles for phylogenetic analyses. Divergence time calibration and ancestral reconstruction were calculated using BEAST and RASP software, respectively. Our phylogenetic analyses indicate that Trionychidae is the sister taxon of Carettochelyidae, and support the monophyly of Trionychinae and Cyclanorbinae, which is consistent with morphological data and molecular analysis. Our phylogenetic analyses have established a sister taxon relationship between the Asian Rafetus and the Asian Palea + Pelodiscus + Dogania + Nilssonia + Amyda, whereas a previous study grouped the Asian Rafetus with the American Apalone. The results of divergence time estimates and area ancestral reconstruction show that extant Trionychidae originated in Asia at around 108 million years ago (MA), and radiations mainly occurred during two warm periods, namely Late Cretaceous-Early Eocene and Oligocene. By combining the estimated divergence time and the reconstructed ancestral area of softshell turtles, we determined that the dispersal of softshell turtles out of Asia may have taken three routes. Furthermore, the times of dispersal seem to be in agreement with the time of the India-Asia collision and opening of the Bering Strait, which

  5. Diversity structure of culturable bacteria isolated from the Fildes Peninsula (King George Island, Antarctica): A phylogenetic analysis perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González-Rocha, Gerardo; Muñoz-Cartes, Gabriel; Canales-Aguirre, Cristian B; Lima, Celia A; Domínguez-Yévenes, Mariana; Bello-Toledo, Helia; Hernández, Cristián E

    2017-01-01

    It has been proposed that Antarctic environments select microorganisms with unique biochemical adaptations, based on the tenet 'Everything is everywhere, but, the environment selects' by Baas-Becking. However, this is a hypothesis that has not been extensively evaluated. This study evaluated the fundamental prediction contained in this hypothesis-in the sense that species are structured in the landscape according to their local habitats-, using as study model the phylogenetic diversity of the culturable bacteria of Fildes Peninsula (King George Island, Antarctica). Eighty bacterial strains isolated from 10 different locations in the area, were recovered. Based on phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences, the isolates were grouped into twenty-six phylotypes distributed in three main clades, of which only six are exclusive to Antarctica. Results showed that phylotypes do not group significantly by habitat type; however, local habitat types had phylogenetic signal, which support the phylogenetic niche conservatism hypothesis and not a selective role of the environment like the Baas-Becking hypothesis suggests. We propose that, more than habitat selection resulting in new local adaptations and diversity, local historical colonization and species sorting (i.e. differences in speciation and extinction rates that arise by interaction of species level traits with the environment) play a fundamental role on the culturable bacterial diversity in Antarctica.

  6. Microbubble-Mediated Ultrasound Enhances the Lethal Effect of Gentamicin on Planktonic Escherichia coli

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Han-Xiao Zhu

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Previous research has found that low-intensity ultrasound enhanced the lethal effect of gentamicin on planktonic E. coli. We aimed to further investigate whether microbubble-mediated low-intensity ultrasound could further enhance the antimicrobial efficacy of gentamicin. The planktonic E. coli (ATCC 25922 was distributed to four different interventions: control (GCON, microbubble only (GMB, ultrasound only (GUS, and microbubble-mediated ultrasound (GMUS. Ultrasound was applied with 100 mW/cm2 (average intensity and 46.5 KHz, which presented no bactericidal activity. After 12 h, plate counting was used to estimate the number of bacteria, and bacterial micromorphology was observed with transmission electron microscope. The results showed that the viable counts of E. coli in GMUS were decreased by 1.01 to 1.42 log10 CFU/mL compared with GUS (P<0.01. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC of gentamicin against E. coli was 1 μg/mL in the GMUS and GUS groups, lower than that in the GCON and GMB groups (2 μg/mL. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM images exhibited more destruction and higher thickness of bacterial cell membranes in the GMUS than those in other groups. The reason might be the increased permeability of cell membranes for gentamicin caused by acoustic cavitation.

  7. Pengimbuhan Kunyit dan Seng Oksida dalam Pakan Meningkatkan Kemampuan Ayam Pedaging dalam Mengeliminasi Tantangan Infeksi Escherichia coli (SUPPLEMENTATION CUCURMIN AND ZINC OXIDE INCREASE THE ABILITY OF BROILER CHICKENS IN ELIMINATING ESCHERICHIA COLI CH

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sus Derthi Widhyari

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to determine the effect of the feed additive (zinc and herbs in leucocyte profiles,performance, and observe the ability of broiler on E. coli challenge. A total of 160 chickens were dividedinto four groups: Group K-control negativewere given basal diet; Group two were given fed basal, turmeric1.5% + ZnO 180 ppm; Group two were given fed basal, garlic powder 2.5% + Zn0 180 ppm; and group K+ weregiven basal diet and treatment with antibiotics. At the age of three weeks all groups were challenged orallyby inoculation with E.coli at dose of 108CFU/mL. Observed parameters include performance (weight gain,consumption and total leukocytes. Weight gain, consumption were observed at one to five weeks of age,whereas blood samplings for the examination of leukocytes were performed at week three (pre infection,week four and five (one week and two weeks after infection with E.coli. The results showed that thechicken body weight from age one to three weeks was increased sharply. One week after infection weightloss seemed to be decreased. The largest decrease was observed in the group given the combination ofgarlic-Zn, while providing a combination of curcumin-Zn shows that the weight tends to increase. Rationconsumption showed the same pattern as body weight. The highest consumption at the end of the studywas found in the group given the combination of curcumin - Zn, the lowest was in the garlic-Zn. Highleukocyte cells level at one week post infection, showing an animal in a state of infection and the leucocytedecreasing again at two weeks post infection. The conditions indicate the ability of chickens in eliminatinginfectious agents. These results explain the combination of curcumin-Zn showed the best results comparedwith other treatments. Providing supplementation of curcumin - Zn on chicken improved the ability toeliminate E.coli, leukocyte cell profile, and performance.

  8. Spatial Patterns of Species Diversity and Phylogenetic Structure of Plant Communities in the Tianshan Mountains, Arid Central Asia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hong-Xiang Zhang

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The Tianshan Mountains, located in arid Central Asia, have a humid climate and are biodiversity hotspots. Here, we aimed to clarify whether the pattern of species diversity and the phylogenetic structure of plant communities is affected by environmental variables and glacial refugia. In this study, plant community assemblies of 17 research sites with a total of 35 sample plots were investigated at the grassland/woodland boundaries on the Tianshan Mountains. Community phylogeny of these plant communities was constructed based on two plant DNA barcode regions. The indices of phylogenetic diversity and phylogenetic community structure were calculated for these sample plots. We first estimated the correlation coefficients between species richness (SR and environmental variables as well as the presence of glacial refugia. We then mapped the significant values of indices of community phylogeny (PD, RPD, NRI, and NTI to investigate the correlation between community phylogeny and environmental structure or macrozones in the study area. The results showed that a significantly higher value of SR was obtained for the refugial groups than for the colonizing groups (P < 0.05; presence of refugia and environmental variables were highly correlated to the pattern of variation in SR. Indices of community phylogeny were not significantly different between refugial and colonizing regions. Comparison with the humid western part showed that plant communities in the arid eastern part of the Tianshan Mountains tended to display more significant phylogenetic overdispersion. The variation tendency of the PhyloSor index showed that the increase in macro-geographical and environmental distance did not influence obvious phylogenetic dissimilarities between different sample plots. In conclusion, glacial refugia and environmental factors profoundly influenced the pattern of SR, but community phylogenetic structure was not affected by glacial refugia among different plant

  9. Evolution of specialization: a phylogenetic study of host range in the red milkweed beetle (Tetraopes tetraophthalmus).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rasmann, Sergio; Agrawal, Anurag A

    2011-06-01

    Specialization is common in most lineages of insect herbivores, one of the most diverse groups of organisms on earth. To address how and why specialization is maintained over evolutionary time, we hypothesized that plant defense and other ecological attributes of potential host plants would predict the performance of a specialist root-feeding herbivore (the red milkweed beetle, Tetraopes tetraophthalmus). Using a comparative phylogenetic and functional trait approach, we assessed the determinants of insect host range across 18 species of Asclepias. Larval survivorship decreased with increasing phylogenetic distance from the true host, Asclepias syriaca, suggesting that adaptation to plant traits drives specialization. Among several root traits measured, only cardenolides (toxic defense chemicals) correlated with larval survival, and cardenolides also explained the phylogenetic distance effect in phylogenetically controlled multiple regression analyses. Additionally, milkweed species having a known association with other Tetraopes beetles were better hosts than species lacking Tetraopes herbivores, and milkweeds with specific leaf area values (a trait related to leaf function and habitat affiliation) similar to those of A. syriaca were better hosts than species having divergent values. We thus conclude that phylogenetic distance is an integrated measure of phenotypic and ecological attributes of Asclepias species, especially defensive cardenolides, which can be used to explain specialization and constraints on host shifts over evolutionary time.

  10. Detection and phylogenetic analysis of bacteriophage WO in spiders (Araneae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Qian; Qiao, Huping; Gao, Jin; Yun, Yueli; Liu, Fengxiang; Peng, Yu

    2015-11-01

    Phage WO is a bacteriophage found in Wolbachia. Herein, we represent the first phylogenetic study of WOs that infect spiders (Araneae). Seven species of spiders (Araneus alternidens, Nephila clavata, Hylyphantes graminicola, Prosoponoides sinensis, Pholcus crypticolens, Coleosoma octomaculatum, and Nurscia albofasciata) from six families were infected by Wolbachia and WO, followed by comprehensive sequence analysis. Interestingly, WO could be only detected Wolbachia-infected spiders. The relative infection rates of those seven species of spiders were 75, 100, 88.9, 100, 62.5, 72.7, and 100 %, respectively. Our results indicated that both Wolbachia and WO were found in three different body parts of N. clavata, and WO could be passed to the next generation of H. graminicola by vertical transmission. There were three different sequences for WO infected in A. alternidens and two different WO sequences from C. octomaculatum. Only one sequence of WO was found for the other five species of spiders. The discovered sequence of WO ranged from 239 to 311 bp. Phylogenetic tree was generated using maximum likelihood (ML) based on the orf7 gene sequences. According to the phylogenetic tree, WOs in N. clavata and H. graminicola were clustered in the same group. WOs from A. alternidens (WAlt1) and C. octomaculatum (WOct2) were closely related to another clade, whereas WO in P. sinensis was classified as a sole cluster.

  11. Whole genome sequencing and analysis of Campylobacter coli YH502 from retail chicken reveals a plasmid-borne type VI secretion system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandeep Ghatak

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Campylobacter is a major cause of foodborne illnesses worldwide. Campylobacter infections, commonly caused by ingestion of undercooked poultry and meat products, can lead to gastroenteritis and chronic reactive arthritis in humans. Whole genome sequencing (WGS is a powerful technology that provides comprehensive genetic information about bacteria and is increasingly being applied to study foodborne pathogens: e.g., evolution, epidemiology/outbreak investigation, and detection. Herein we report the complete genome sequence of Campylobacter coli strain YH502 isolated from retail chicken in the United States. WGS, de novo assembly, and annotation of the genome revealed a chromosome of 1,718,974 bp and a mega-plasmid (pCOS502 of 125,964 bp. GC content of the genome was 31.2% with 1931 coding sequences and 53 non-coding RNAs. Multiple virulence factors including a plasmid-borne type VI secretion system and antimicrobial resistance genes (beta-lactams, fluoroquinolones, and aminoglycoside were found. The presence of T6SS in a mobile genetic element (plasmid suggests plausible horizontal transfer of these virulence genes to other organisms. The C. coli YH502 genome also harbors CRISPR sequences and associated proteins. Phylogenetic analysis based on average nucleotide identity and single nucleotide polymorphisms identified closely related C. coli genomes available in the NCBI database. Taken together, the analyzed genomic data of this potentially virulent strain of C. coli will facilitate further understanding of this important foodborne pathogen most likely leading to better control strategies. The chromosome and plasmid sequences of C. coli YH502 have been deposited in GenBank under the accession numbers CP018900.1 and CP018901.1, respectively.

  12. Phylogenetically Acquired Representations and Evolutionary Algorithms.

    OpenAIRE

    Wozniak , Adrianna

    2006-01-01

    First, we explain why Genetic Algorithms (GAs), inspired by the Modern Synthesis, do not accurately model biological evolution, being rather an artificial version of artificial, rather than natural selection. Being focused on optimisation, we propose two improvements of GAs, with the aim to successfully generate adapted, desired behaviour. The first one concerns phylogenetic grounding of meaning, a way to avoid the Symbol Grounding Problem. We give a definition of Phylogenetically Acquired Re...

  13. Phylogenetic reconstruction and shell evolution of the Diplommatinidae (Gastropoda: Caenogastropoda).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Webster, Nicole B; Van Dooren, Tom J M; Schilthuizen, Menno

    2012-06-01

    The fascinating and often unlikely shell shapes in the terrestrial micromollusc family Diplommatinidae (Gastropoda: Caenogastropoda) provide a particularly attractive set of multiple morphological traits to investigate evolutionary patterns of shape variation. Here, a molecular phylogenetic reconstruction, based on five genes and 2700 bp, was undertaken for this family, integrated with ancestral state reconstruction and phylogenetic PCA of discrete and quantitative traits, respectively. We found strong support for the Diplommatininae as a monophyletic group, separating the Cochlostomatidae into a separate family. Five main clades appear within the Diplommatininae, corresponding with both coiling direction and biogeographic patterns. A Belau clade (A) with highly diverse (but always sinistral) morphology comprised Hungerfordia, Palaina, and some Diplommatina. Arinia (dextral) and Opisthostoma (sinistroid) are sister groups in clade B. Clade C and D solely contain sinistral Diplommatina that are robust and little ornamented (clade C) or slender and sculptured (clade D). Clade E is dextral but biogeographically diverse with species from all sampled regions save the Caroline Islands. Adelopoma, Diplommatina, Palaina, and Hungerfordia require revision to allow taxonomy to reflect phylogeny, whereas Opisthostoma is clearly monophyletic. Ancestral state reconstruction suggests a sinistral origin for the Diplommatinidae, with three reversals to dextrality. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Phylogenetic reconstruction of the family Acrypteridae (Orthoptera: Acridoidea) based on mitochondrial cytochrome B gene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huo, Guangming; Jiang, Guofang; Sun, Zhengli; Liu, Dianfeng; Zhang, Yalin; Lu, Lin

    2007-04-01

    Sequences from the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (Cyt b) were determined for 25 species from the superfamily Acridoidae and the homologous sequences of 19 species of grasshoppers were downloaded from the GenBank data library. The purpose was to develop a molecular phylogeny of the Acrypteridae, and to interpret the phylogenetic position of the family within the superfamily Acridoidea. Phylogeny was reconstructed by Maximum-parsimony (MP) and Bayesian criteria using Yunnanites coriacea and Tagasta marginella as outgroups. The alignment length of the fragments was 384 bp after excluding ambiguous sites, including 167 parsimony informative sites. In the fragments, the percentages of A + T and G + C were 70.7% and 29.3%, respectively. The monophyly of Arcypteridae is not supported by phylogenetic trees. Within the Arcypteridae, neither Arcypterinae nor Ceracrinae is supported as a monophyletic group. The current genus Chorthippus is not a monophyletic group, and should be a polyphyletic group. The present results are significantly different from the classification scheme of Arcypteridae, which is based on morphology.

  15. Dynamics of quinolone resistance in fecal Escherichia coli of finishing pigs after ciprofloxacin administration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Kang; Xu, Chang-Wen; Zeng, Bo; Xia, Qing-Qing; Zhang, An-Yun; Lei, Chang-Wei; Guan, Zhong-Bin; Cheng, Han; Wang, Hong-Ning

    2014-09-01

    Escherichia coli resistance to quinolones has now become a serious issue in large-scale pig farms of China. It is necessary to study the dynamics of quinolone resistance in fecal Escherichia coli of pigs after antimicrobial administration. Here, we present the hypothesis that the emergence of resistance in pigs requires drug accumulation for 7 days or more. To test this hypothesis, 26 pigs (90 days old, about 30 kg) not fed any antimicrobial after weaning were selected and divided into 2 equal groups: the experimental (EP) group and control (CP) group. Pigs in the EP group were orally treated daily with 5 mg ciprofloxacin/kg of body weight for 30 days, and pigs in the CP group were fed a normal diet. Fresh feces were collected at 16 time points from day 0 to day 61. At each time point, ten E. coli clones were tested for susceptibility to quinolones and mutations of gyrA and parC. The results showed that the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) for ciprofloxacin increased 16-fold compared with the initial MIC (0.5 µg/ml) after ciprofloxacin administration for 3 days and decreased 256-fold compared with the initial MIC (0.5 µg/ml) after ciprofloxacin withdrawal for 26 days. GyrA (S83L, D87N/ D87Y) and parC (S80I) substitutions were observed in all quinolone-resistant E. coli (QREC) clones with an MIC ≥8 µg/ml. This study provides scientific theoretical guidance for the rational use of antimicrobials and the control of bacterial resistance.

  16. Evaluation of Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence Genes in Uropathogenic Escherichia coli in Pediatric and Adult Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kerem YILMAZ

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available We aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial resistance patterns and the prevalence of certain virulence genes in uropathogenic E. coli isolated from pediatric and adult patients with uncomplicated urinary tract infection.We examined nonduplicate 83 uropathogenic E. coli isolated from mid-stream clean-catch urine samples of the pediatric and adult outpatients with the diagnosis of acute uncomplicated urinary tract infection. VITEK® 2 automated system (bioMerieux, Marcy l’Etoile, France was used for identification and determination of antimicrobial resistance. We examined the isolates in respect to their antimicrobial resistance patterns and the presence of virulence genes (pap, aer, sfa, hly and cnf-1. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing results of the E. coli isolates revealed that commonly used empiric antimicrobials (ciprofloxacin, trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole, gentamicin, ampicillin and cephalothin for urinary tract infections were less effective than others. Most frequently detected virulence genes were pap and aer in both age groups. Sfa and hly genes were the least frequently detected genes in the pediatric age group; hly gene was the also the least common in the adult age group. There was no association with virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance patterns of the uropathogenic E. coli isolates in contrary to literature. More comprehensive studies with larger sample groups are needed to demonstrate the relation between virulence factors with antimicrobial drugs in different age groups.

  17. A program to compute the soft Robinson-Foulds distance between phylogenetic networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Bingxin; Zhang, Louxin; Leong, Hon Wai

    2017-03-14

    Over the past two decades, phylogenetic networks have been studied to model reticulate evolutionary events. The relationships among phylogenetic networks, phylogenetic trees and clusters serve as the basis for reconstruction and comparison of phylogenetic networks. To understand these relationships, two problems are raised: the tree containment problem, which asks whether a phylogenetic tree is displayed in a phylogenetic network, and the cluster containment problem, which asks whether a cluster is represented at a node in a phylogenetic network. Both the problems are NP-complete. A fast exponential-time algorithm for the cluster containment problem on arbitrary networks is developed and implemented in C. The resulting program is further extended into a computer program for fast computation of the Soft Robinson-Foulds distance between phylogenetic networks. Two computer programs are developed for facilitating reconstruction and validation of phylogenetic network models in evolutionary and comparative genomics. Our simulation tests indicated that they are fast enough for use in practice. Additionally, the distribution of the Soft Robinson-Foulds distance between phylogenetic networks is demonstrated to be unlikely normal by our simulation data.

  18. [Comparative leaf anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of 11 species of Laeliinae with emphasis on Brassavola (Orchidaceae)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noguera-Savelli, Eliana; Jáuregui, Damelis

    2011-09-01

    Brassavola inhabits a wide altitude range and habitat types from Northern Mexico to Northern Argentina. Classification schemes in plants have normally used vegetative and floral characters, but when species are very similar, as in this genus, conflicts arise in species delimitation, and alternative methods should be applied. In this study we explored the taxonomic and phylogenetic value of the anatomical structure of leaves in Brassavola; as ingroup, seven species of Brassavola were considered, and as an outgroup Guarianthe skinneri, Laelia anceps, Rhyncholaelia digbyana and Rhyncholaelia glauca were evaluated. Leaf anatomical characters were studied in freehand cross sections of the middle portion with a light microscope. Ten vegetative anatomical characters were selected and coded for the phylogenetic analysis. Phylogenetic reconstruction was carried out under maximum parsimony using the program NONA through WinClada. Overall, Brassavola species reveal a wide variety of anatomical characters, many of them associated with xeromorphic plants: thick cuticle, hypodermis and cells of the mesophyll with spiral thickenings in the secondary wall. Moreover, mesophyll is either homogeneous or heterogeneous, often with extravascular bundles of fibers near the epidermis at both terete and flat leaves. All vascular bundles are collateral, arranged in more than one row in the mesophyll. The phylogenetic analysis did not resolve internal relationships of the genus; we obtained a polytomy, indicating that the anatomical characters by themselves have little phylogenetic value in Brassavola. We concluded that few anatomical characters are phylogenetically important; however, they would provide more support to elucidate the phylogenetic relantionships in the Orchidaceae and other plant groups if they are used in conjunction with morphological and/or molecular characters.

  19. Short interspersed elements (SINEs) in plants: origin, classification, and use as phylogenetic markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deragon, Jean-Marc; Zhang, Xiaoyu

    2006-12-01

    Short interspersed elements (SINEs) are a class of dispersed mobile sequences that use RNA as an intermediate in an amplification process called retroposition. The presence-absence of a SINE at a given locus has been used as a meaningful classification criterion to evaluate phylogenetic relations among species. We review here recent developments in the characterisation of plant SINEs and their use as molecular makers to retrace phylogenetic relations among wild and cultivated Oryza and Brassica species. In Brassicaceae, further use of SINE markers is limited by our partial knowledge of endogenous SINE families (their origin and evolution histories) and by the absence of a clear classification. To solve this problem, phylogenetic relations among all known Brassicaceae SINEs were analyzed and a new classification, grouping SINEs in 15 different families, is proposed. The relative age and size of each Brassicaceae SINE family was evaluated and new phylogenetically supported subfamilies were described. We also present evidence suggesting that new potentially active SINEs recently emerged in Brassica oleracea from the shuffling of preexisting SINE portions. Finally, the comparative evolution history of SINE families present in Arabidopsis thaliana and Brassica oleracea revealed that SINEs were in general more active in the Brassica lineage. The importance of these new data for the use of Brassicaceae SINEs as molecular markers in future applications is discussed.

  20. YBYRÁ facilitates comparison of large phylogenetic trees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machado, Denis Jacob

    2015-07-01

    The number and size of tree topologies that are being compared by phylogenetic systematists is increasing due to technological advancements in high-throughput DNA sequencing. However, we still lack tools to facilitate comparison among phylogenetic trees with a large number of terminals. The "YBYRÁ" project integrates software solutions for data analysis in phylogenetics. It comprises tools for (1) topological distance calculation based on the number of shared splits or clades, (2) sensitivity analysis and automatic generation of sensitivity plots and (3) clade diagnoses based on different categories of synapomorphies. YBYRÁ also provides (4) an original framework to facilitate the search for potential rogue taxa based on how much they affect average matching split distances (using MSdist). YBYRÁ facilitates comparison of large phylogenetic trees and outperforms competing software in terms of usability and time efficiency, specially for large data sets. The programs that comprises this toolkit are written in Python, hence they do not require installation and have minimum dependencies. The entire project is available under an open-source licence at http://www.ib.usp.br/grant/anfibios/researchSoftware.html .